Oscar continued running until his core could no longer support his body.

  His legs finally gave out.

  He collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air. His body had hit its limit. There was no strength left in him to move.

  Slowly, he pushed against the ground and rolled onto his back.

  For the first time in years, he saw an endless blue sky.

  “I finally made it out of that hell.”

  The words barely left his mouth before the adrenaline wore off.

  “Ghk—!”

  Oscar grabbed his chest as blood spilled from his mouth. His core had been pushed far beyond its limit. Without enough energy flowing through it, his body began to fail—like a heart beating too fast.

  Energy leaked from his body like blood from invisible wounds.

  His voice grew hoarse.

  Slowly, he dragged himself toward a nearby tree and leaned against it.

  The wind brushed against his skin.

  Real wind.

  Had he forgotten what it felt like after being trapped for so long?

  Too many thoughts rushed through his head.

  But none of them hurt as much as one.

  Baron.

  The moment replayed in his mind again and again.

  The corrupted wall.

  His blows doing nothing.

  Baron trapped on the other side.

  Oscar clenched his fists.

  “You better keep that promise.”

  Because if Baron didn’t—

  Oscar shook his head.

  “I can’t think like that. I need to survive.”

  First, he needed to control his core.

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  It was unstable. If he pushed it any further, it might crack completely.

  Even with the knowledge from his previous life, he had never felt anything like this before.

  “…What did they do to me?”

  The scientists had called him ACP-1.

  The first successful project.

  Oscar let out a weak laugh.

  “Successful my ass.”

  Slowly, he forced himself to stand.

  Only then did he truly notice the forest around him.

  Something felt wrong.

  The trees twisted unnaturally toward the sky. Dark veins pulsed faintly through the bark like infected wounds.

  Oscar narrowed his eyes.

  “Corrupted energy…?”

  He was shocked to see corruption inside something that wasn’t human.

  “Well… that explains it.”

  Normal wildlife wouldn’t survive in a place like this.

  Which meant whatever lived here was far from normal.

  A low growl echoed from behind the trees.

  Oscar sighed weakly.

  “Damn… that timing couldn’t be worse.”

  From the shadows, a creature stepped forward.

  At first its shape resembled a wolf.

  But the moment Oscar saw it clearly, he knew.

  This beast was corrupted to its core.

  Black and red veins pulsed across its body. Its eyes burned with a deep crimson glow. Its claws and teeth were stained red, as if it had already hunted something earlier—but wasn’t satisfied.

  Oscar’s legs trembled.

  “I can barely walk…”

  The wolf lunged.

  “I’ve gotta fight… or I’m dead.”

  Oscar gathered what little energy he had left into his right hand.

  Power burst around his fist as he swung.

  The blow forced the wolf backward.

  But the creature quickly stood again.

  The damage he caused healed almost instantly as corrupted energy flowed through its fur.

  Oscar’s eyes widened.

  “This thing regenerates too…?”

  His strength vanished.

  He dropped to his knees, coughing up more blood.

  He had nothing left.

  The wolf let out a loud howl, boasting over its newest prey.

  Then it charged again.

  Oscar tried to defend himself.

  The impact sent him flying.

  He barely managed to keep the wolf from delivering a killing blow.

  His wounds grew worse.

  Blood ran down his head and back. His senses dulled. He could barely remain conscious.

  Baron’s voice echoed in his mind.

  “I WON’T DIE! I KNOW YOU’LL SAVE ME!”

  Then—

  Everything went silent.

  The forest stopped moving.

  Even the wolf froze.

  Oscar felt it immediately.

  Something overwhelming was approaching.

  But unlike his own chaotic energy…

  This power was stable.

  One moment the wolf was charging.

  The next—

  It fell apart in pieces.

  A calm voice echoed through the forest.

  “…Corrupted beasts sure have been getting more aggressive lately.”

  Oscar barely managed to open his eyes.

  A man stood before him.

  Tall.

  Composed.

  A faint purple aura flowed gently around his body.

  Oscar couldn’t even process what had just happened.

  The man lowered his hand and the purple energy faded.

  Like he had simply crushed a fly.

  Then he turned toward Oscar.

  His eyes narrowed slightly.

  “Your core…”

  The man walked closer and crouched down.

  “Hm. Strange.”

  Within the chaotic energy flowing from Oscar’s body, he sensed something familiar.

  Something he had only felt once before.

  On a certain night.

  The night a special child was born.

  “…Kid.”

  His voice was calm, but serious.

  “Where did you come from?”

  Oscar tried to answer.

  But nothing came out.

  His core pulsed violently again.

  Cracks spread across his skin.

  Then everything went dark.

  The man looked down at the unconscious boy.

  The energy flowing through him was unnatural.

  Artificial.

  Dangerous.

  But hidden beneath all that chaos…

  Was something the man didn’t understand.

  “What the hell did they make?”

  The forest fell silent once more.

  Curious, the man lifted the boy.

  There was someone who might be able to heal his wounds.

  And perhaps…

  Explain what he truly was.