Seven wasted hours looking at catalogs of acids that held a similarity to what he had seen. It was a very specific mixture, otherwise, it would have melted the leather bag, but it didn’t. Yet it still managed to erase a human from existence.

It didn’t make any sense.

“Should I go back to check if there are remains of that bag? Maybe it’s not leather at all...”

But he quickly dismissed the idea. He would’ve heard of a random pink puddle and some melting body parts by now, whoever was behind that attempt wanted to act in the shadows, it was only plausible that he wouldn’t leave an obvious clue like that.

He suddenly stopped.

“Wouldn’t he make a definitive move against me now that I know about them?”

A person committed to murder wouldn’t do it in such a half-assed manner. It required careful planning so that no one would suspect the crime. In the modern world, killers have to be much smarter to get away, but even dumb killers would do just fine with some basic things. Even if they were caught, a fair share took months, even years.

“No one has the time to investigate things like these, revealing this piece of information would only generate strife between Kyel’s and Arthur’s groups. I don’t know the reason why I’m targeted, but whether it succeeded or not didn’t seem to affect the killer’s plans.”

It was only that he didn’t expect Seven to keep quiet. Or maybe he did, and Seven would be even more puzzled.

He shook his head.

“I don’t have time for this right now”

He kept flipping through pages and pages, quickly reading the most vital bits of information before proceeding to the next book. The library was a complete mess as books were stacked one upon the other and thrown to the side like garbage.

When morning came, he raised his hand to pick the next catalog, only to discover there was none.

His brain ceased functioning immediately.

***

Arthur stood amongst the weakened bunch of people and distributed meals.

-Don’t worry, we can do it.

They accepted his kindness, but there was no feeling of gratitude when considering what was waiting for them outside the walls.

-If you think about it, nothing changed. We all expected to face off against monsters at the same time every day, and this rest time is all a trap from Ai. While we rest, the ants regain their forces, we have to strike now. Why do you think Natalya, Seven, Kyel and even Kate disappeared? They’re on to this, nothing changed at all.

His words were reasonable, but morale was very low.

Nothing changed? The rest period was a trap? It would be better if that wasn’t the case, they’d rather be kept in the dark. Only then would they still believe in hope.

However, Arthur couldn’t be leisure anymore. Sooner or later they would have to face reality, he wished it could be a smooth transition but Ai did everything to go against this. He could only land the meat rare.

A clanking metallic noise woke him from his thoughts, a girl had dropped the tableware and continuously shook her head.

-Don’t worry? How can you not worry? We can do it? Maybe you can do it, but I can’t! It’s impossible. Impossible!

She broke down crying on the floor and everyone just glanced at her with muddled eyes.

-Come on, don’t think about that, we still gotta live, don’t we?

-… She’s right, how the fuck can we deal with the things outside?

-That city... This is Earth after all... Hahaha... Hahahaha! We’re doomed!

-There’s no safe place. This will go on forever, I’d rather kill myself than die to those things...

Reality hit them hard.

-Psh, Arthur.

-Hm?

He heard a whisper from somewhere and went outside the dormitory to check.

-Hey, how are you doing?

Recognizing the voice, his permanent frown relaxed a bit.

-Kate. Didn’t see you since yesterday. What were you doing?

-Haha, just checking out places.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries before moving on to business.

-There was something about you finding out the research lab... I didn’t even know such a place existed.

-Me neither, but if you paid special attention to it, Ai usually referred to this place as a facility, but then she said “outside of this research station”. It couldn’t be that she suddenly forgot about it, it must’ve been related to this quest, so I stayed behind to find the place.

-I see... Can you show me to it later?

Arthur didn’t think as hard as Seven or Kyel and didn’t possess as many clues, so to him the existence of a research lab was only at the level of “oh, a new facility”. He viewed it as some sort of place they would use to devise new equipment.

-Sure, but right now it’s off-limits. It’s only available at specific times.

-I see... I need to get back inside. Things aren’t exactly looking good...

-Ah, I know... But I’ve managed to find out a few things, I can help you guys survive outside!

Arthur creased his brows as if he couldn’t believe what he just heard. However, his expression gradually softened.

-Really?

-Hm, we just have to make sure they get outside.

-That won’t be a problem... Only that I don’t think they’ll be of any help.

-Don’t worry, I have everything under control.

She beamed a smile and patted him on the back. Although it didn’t seem real, Kate was just what he needed and much more, a person that would reach out and give him hope when even he was losing it.

Arthur smiled lightly.

-Don’t go overboard, I don’t want you to lose your life.

-Me neither!

***

When Seven woke up, he wasn’t in the library anymore. It was to be expected, even in this situation some people cared for each other – they wouldn’t leave him collapsed in the middle of the mess he made.

He wasn’t the type to stay a few more minutes in bed after sleeping, especially after sating the need for it when overcome with exhaustion.

“I couldn’t find anything...”

-You’re awake. Good!

Seven opened his eyes and scanned the surroundings.

“It’s exactly like the dorm rooms”

He turned to look at the source of the voice and spotted a boy a bit shorter than him, with messy purple hair and small eyes. He thought of the current state of events and reached a conclusion on his identity.

-You’re Kyel.

-You’re not dumb, and you’re calm. We can talk for a while.

-Hm, that would be fine by me.

Seven got up from the bed and sat near the table, opposite to Kyel’s. There was cheese, bread and fruits atop, naturally also tableware. A jar of juice and a mug of coffee that wasn’t fresh mixed into an unpleasant scent.

“That’s a level up on the rations, hm”

As if he was an honorable guest, he made himself home and started eating. After all, he had completely forgotten about it during his time in the library.

-Why did you want me dead?

A glint flashed by Kyel’s eyes. The leisure attitude from a moment ago had turned into bloodthirst instantly, but Seven was unfazed.

-I was only dealing with the competition. Isn’t it like that in the world of business? - he replied, back to his carefree smiling face.

-You can’t deal with Natalya, but you can hinder her. Your pawn, Nathan, warned off anyone that got close to her, but it wasn’t enough to scare me, so you had me on watch... And tried to kill me on a good opportunity.

Seven awkwardly poured the juice on a cup, but it rocked the container and spilled it on the table and into his clothes. He made a helpless expression and sighed.

“This is more tiring than I thought it would be”

He didn’t have much difficulty in dealing with the sword, all he needed was some experience. Even while making his equipment, he hadn’t felt it distinctly because he had never done anything like it either way.

However, for things he was accustomed to, like writing, it became a major pain. Wasn’t it for that, he could’ve written an entirely new chapter before his excitement was overcome with annoyance.

“Even drinking some juice is tiring...”

Kyel didn’t express any reaction to that. He didn’t laugh of his inability and didn’t help him either.

-The only thing I don’t understand is why you didn’t kill me yet. You want something from me? Why did you try to kill me, then? There are better ways to threaten someone.

-I tried, believe me! - he frowned as if Seven had wronged him – but I didn’t expect you to be as tenacious as a cockroach...

Kyel pouted and feigned a hurt expression.

Seven just nodded.

-Actually, you might be closer to a cockroach than a human! Kekeke...

“...?”

Seven frowned. That didn’t seem like a taunt.

-Oh, don’t tell me you’re not aware... Are you faking it? Are you an ant? An alien?

-What is it you want to tell me?

Kyel put on an extremely amused face. It was the first time during their short meet that Seven felt it to be a genuine smile. He picked up a large object wrapped in cloth and pushed it to the other side of the table.

In silence, Seven dropped the food on his hand and reached for the object. He painstakingly unwrapped the thing and once the smell of blood entered his nostrils, he could only frown deeper.

-An arm.

-Your arm – he corrected.

-Impossible.

It had been nearly two days ever since his arm was severed. Although it wouldn’t immediately disappear, it was impossible to avoid the rotting process unless the organisms responsible for decomposing it had vanished.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the process was slowed down, but this...”

The arm had no trace of decomposition.

Seven shook his head.

-This is a bit surprising, honestly... But it’s not enough to say I’m not human.

-Natalya is a monster, you know? It’s impossible to smash in the ants’ heads with human strength. I’ve investigated it carefully the past days and the results only served to point at this theory: By human standards, Natalya is not a member of our race. Or at least, species.

…

-Okay, but why me?

-The same. By human standards, you are not a member of our race. I had people investigate you closely and they concluded that you had no experience with martial arts in your whole life. Even if, hypothetically, you hold all the knowledge there is in that path, it would’ve been impossible to hold such achievements if you were human. This belief is further bolstered by the ideas presented in your book, which I had a hard time finishing up to the second chapter. The third chapter...

Kyel shivered involuntarily.

Seven couldn’t help but keep shaking his head.

-This is a load of bullshit – he said with a hint of annoyance.

-Ri~ght? - Kyel grinned mischievously – However, however... Ho~wever! No human can survive a bleed out! Hehehe... Hahahahaha!

After a few seconds of mad laughter, Kyel observed Seven’s change in expressions. He understood that what he said nailed it, but only Seven knew of Ai’s help.

“I don’t think I’m a member of a different race, but what about Natalya, is she the same?”

“...”

“...”

“Tsk, I don’t know”

Kyel had a point, Natalya couldn’t be evaluated with human standards. But then again, Seven didn’t fall short of her.

He didn’t know what to think.

“Aren’t we just better than them? What about humans and non-humans, this is bullshit...”

-Still not convinced?

-Well, I’m not as smart as you make me be. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here right now, would I?

-True! And that’s why I prepared an even better thing!

Kyel threw an envelope his way, Seven took it with questioning eyes.

-Where did you...

“...”

“...”

“The research lab?”

-It is exactly what you’re thinking right now. So~ Open it, open it!

Seven analyzed the black envelope with caution.

||7th Research Facility: HOPE||

||Data Compatibility Test: Subject Code QERT-6982 // Seven||

||05:42:22 – D15 – M06 – Y256||

||ACC: 96.53% // Incomplete Data||

Many question marks appeared in his head, but he kept them in check and opened it.

He breathed in deep.

“...”

“...”

-You look funny, did something happen? - Kyel asked in a worried tone, as if he was Seven’s, family member.

“...”

“...”

-Hahaha... Hahahahaha! That’s quite an expression you got on your face.

“...”

“...”

-This is...

***

A hideous voice crashed by the walls of the cave, the humongous body of a Queen Ant collapsed in front of the entrance and made the earth tremble, sealing it off.

The constant flux of blood inundated the room and filled up to Natalya’s belly, it was stickier than human blood and the smell was much worse, but it didn’t faze her. She reached out to the Queen’s body and ended the miserable existence residing there.

||Area 5’s Queen Ant has been slain by player “Natalya Wolskev”|

||Territories claimed:3||

Natalya’s eyes settled on that small heart as it was crushed into nothingness, her eyes became muddled for a second.

Tear off the crystal.

Walk away.