He gulped down the liquor.
Brain Unglaus sat on the floor, hurling aside an empty bottle he had just finished.Several empties already lay scattered across the room, the freshly thrown one rolling in to join their number.
The air was thick with the stench of alcohol, a clear testament to how deeply he had sunk into drinking himself senseless here.
"…Damn it."
Muttering a small curse, Brain reached into the crate he was using as an armrest and grabbed another bottle.
Without hesitation, he pulled the cork. A soft pop sounded, followed by the rich fragrance of wine sliding into his nose.
The scent and the drunken haze were the only things keeping him sane now.
"…So you're Brain Unglaus?"
A young woman's voice.
He shot a sharp glare toward the unexpected visitor standing there, then dismissed her with clear disinterest as he took another swig.
He drank like he was trying to drown his own stomach in alcohol.
Seeing him, the hooded visitor gave a slight shrug.
"Hm~. Well, I shouldn't talk, but… wow, you've really fallen, haven't you?Hard to believe you were once on equal footing with Gazef Stronoff."
"Get lost. I don't remember calling for a woman."
"Ahaha! Oh come on—Are you seriously mistaking me for some prostitute?Ew~ pervert~ gross~ lech~!"
"…Tch."
Brain clicked his tongue loudly.
Reason told him she wasn't worth engaging with—but irritation boiled all the same.If she provoked him too much, he really might kill her.
Yet Brain already sensed that this woman was no ordinary visitor.From the moment before she even entered the room, he'd felt it.
"There's no way a whore like you exists."
"Hmm?"
"You reek of blood.You've killed a few on your way here, haven't you."
"…Ding-ding-ding, correct~."
Grinning foolishly, the woman pulled back her hood.
A gaunt face.Sickly white hair—matted and streaked with dripping blood, clearly not her own.Spatter from someone else.
Her eyes were unfocused, darting and trembling.
She was unmistakably abnormal.
A junkie.
"…What does a drug-addled lunatic want with me?"
"Nahhh, nothing serious. I just heard Brain Unglaus was around, so I figured I'd take a peek~"
"You want an autograph?"
"Gyahaha! You're funny, I like that!"
"If you're done, leave.I'm in a foul mood."
"Perfect, then."
"Huh—"
Before his confused response could form, her hand moved.
With a flick of her wrist, a stiletto appeared in her grip as if conjured from nowhere, and she drove it toward Brain's face without hesitation—
"…Oi oi, that's some manners you've got."
But Brain's blade was already there, intercepting the strike.
A clash so fast only true masters could perceive it.
Their weapons ground together, murderous pressure flickering like heat haze in the air.
"A well-behaved serial killer? That's just silly."
"…Hmph. Fair point."
Sneering, she pressed forward.
Brain smirked back challengingly—yet the sharpness traveling through his blade made him swallow involuntarily.
(…No doubt. She's strong.At the very least, my equal—No, calling anyone on my level a 'strong one' is already laughable.)
A bitter smile crossed his face.
The silhouette of the true monster who had crushed him—burned into his retina—would never fade.
Calling himself a strong warrior was now nothing short of shameful.
Seeing his expression, the woman tilted her head.The blood dripping from her bangs pattered onto the floor.
"What's wrong? Daydreaming in front of such a gorgeous lady?"
"…Just thinking how pointless this all is.You're strong, sure—But comparing our strength? Testing who's better?Once you've seen the truth, it's all meaningless."
"Ahh?"
"There are always greater heights.We—people like us—are nothing but frogs in a well.Even Gazef Stronoff never escaped that."
"You…"
"Oi, Adamantite-class adventurer—the Dark Princess, Momon.You know her?"
Brain sighed the name.
He remembered—the monstrous woman who had brushed aside his secret technique, God Flash combined with Domain, and his ultimate strike, Tiger Falling Rain, as though it were an annoying speck of dust.
Thinking back on himself from then, he felt foolish.A rat believing itself a lion, baring its teeth at a dragon.
His pride, his confidence—crushed beyond recognition.
Once he'd seen genuine strength, he could no longer muster the will to chase his old dream.
Even surpassing Gazef now felt hollow.
He wanted to warn this pitiful woman who knew nothing—
"—BUWOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH!!"
"Ugh!?"
—she suddenly vomited.
A violent gush erupted from her mouth, overturning everything in her stomach and splattering across the floor.
Brain leapt back with a scream, eyes wide at her abrupt retching.
"Gross—! Oi, hey, are you alright!?"
"U… o… greeeeehhh…"
Another splatter.
Kneeling, she gagged and choked.
(What the hell is this woman…?)
As Brain hesitated, unable to decide what to do—
The room's door creaked open.
A second visitor.
"Unglaus—Clementine's here too? What a mess."
Zero stepped into the room, looking down at the retching woman—Clementine—with a grimace carved into his tattooed, stone-like face.
The room was now filled with the stale stink of vomit mixed with alcohol.
Zero strode over to the window and yanked it open, then turned to Brain.
"You're looking well, Unglaus."
"I was.Until this crazy bitch you sent ruined my mood."
"Don't misunderstand.Six Arms and Eight Fingers have nothing to do with her visiting you.She came on her own curiosity.Even we have trouble controlling that broken creature."
"If she's a mad dog, don't let her run loose."
"Believe me, we'd love to. But we have bait to lure her—not a cage to keep her.Just try not to get killed."
Brain wanted to shout what the hell is that supposed to mean,but another realization struck him—
Drug addiction.Black powder.
The dots connected.
Zero continued:
"By the way—did you mention Momon in front of her?"
"Huh? How'd you know?"
"She's the same as you—defeated by Momon and tossed into a cell.I don't know what happened, but that woman's name is pure trauma to her.Don't say it again in front of Clementine.You were lucky she only collapsed this time—next time she might lose control and rage until every last person in the capital is dead."
At Zero's feet, Clementine wheezed faintly, nearly unconscious.
Who knew how she'd react next time?
"Unglaus, is Momon truly that strong?Strong enough to break Clementine this badly?"
"…'Strong' doesn't describe it.Even if you gathered every hero from every fairy tale, they still couldn't beat her.I guarantee it."
"…So that level…"
Zero rubbed his bald head, expression darkening.
He seemed to ponder something, and Brain questioned him:
"…So? Why are you here, Zero?You came for me, didn't you?"
"I'll need your help soon."
"I never said I'd cooperate."
Zero chuckled.
"Is the great Brain Unglaus the sort of manwho'd bite the hand that fed him?Prison break, room, food, clothing—we've provided all of it."
"I never asked for your help.You lot just clung to me."
Brain snatched another bottle from his crate as he spoke.
He stepped over Clementine's vomit and brushed past Zero—as if declaring he'd never be tamed.
"…But fine.I'll earn my booze.Just don't expect more than this one time."
"Heh. Good enough.I'll send the job details later."
Brain didn't reply.He simply left the room.
Blood, vomit, and alcohol still clung to the air.
"…Problem children."
Zero spat the words, clicking his tongue.
The pieces were assembled—tools that would overturn the kingdom.
Even if handling them was a constant source of irritation.
"Well.I'll make full use of you all.For Eight Fingers—No…
for my rise to power,you'll be the foundation."
Grinning sharply, Zero radiated the ferocity of a wild beast.
It would not be long before the entire royal capital was swallowed by the chaos he would unleash.