K walked into the dark void, catching the last moments of A being dragged away by the shadowy hands."Well, I will meet you soon, A," K said.He continued walking straight with his hands in his pockets. As he walked, a door appeared in front of him. K passed through it and entered a different world where the sky was blood-red. He made his way toward a large garden."Well, it looks like you have been expanding this garden," K remarked.He entered the garden and stopped in front of a lake filled with some type of red liquid."So, where are you?" K asked.A heavy, unknown voice replied, "So you finally decided to visit me. Do you know how much time has passed?"K replied, "Well, you are still hiding in the shadows like in our previous meeting.""You already know the answer. Why do you ask again?" the unknown voice said."Maybe because I thought you should come out. But it's okay," K said as he sat alone near the lake. "So, you are really dedicated to this garden.""Yes," the voice replied, "and you can understand how much I love taking care of it. The best part is that I get a fresh supply of the substance every day.""Of course I know it, Executioner," K said with a smile. "Every single day you kill millions just to fill this lake with their blood.""It's not like I even have to go hunting," the Executioner replied. "Their greed brings them here, and it's good. The more greed they have, the more blood my garden gets. Look how beautiful my garden has become."K looked at the red spider lilies, red poppies, and other flowers. The view was stunning."Well, this is truly a piece of art. I really like it," K said.The Executioner asked, "I hear A has returned. So how many chess rounds did he win this time?"K picked up a flower. "How about you make a guess?""Hmm… maybe he won one round this time," the Executioner replied."Bingo," K said. "He really won one round. It's clear we are one step closer to our goal. But he still needs to learn a lot. This time, I have seen a lot of improvement in A."The Executioner said, "Do you really think this is a good idea? What if you fail again? And why do you think he needs to learn all this? The people of this world will hate him if you succeed.""I will never stop until I succeed," K replied. "And as for you, I won't let A become another failed experiment."The Executioner laughed from the shadows, and K laughed along with him."Well, it's been a long time since I heard your laugh, Executioner—before I trapped you here," K said."Yes, I've even forgotten how much time I've spent here, K," the Executioner replied. "I remember hearing loud explosion sounds. Is it because the humans started another war?""You already know the answer. Why do you want to hear it from me?" K asked."I thought they might have learned from their past, but they remain the same," the Executioner said.K replied, "Not everyone can become like you, Executioner. I remember how ruthless you were in the past.""I learned from my past because I am not like them. They keep repeating the same mistakes," the Executioner said. "Sometimes I wonder if it is really that easy to kill someone."K laughed. "Seriously? Look who is talking. You are the one who kills millions daily just to feed this garden, and yet you talk about how easily people kill each other.""Well, that's a fact," the Executioner replied. "But still, I don't kill anyone. Their greed kills them before I even reach them. Their desires become so strong that they turn into monsters. And killing monsters is not a crime."K said, "Well, yes. But according to the rules humans made, no one has the right to kill anyone. In reality, they break those rules easily. Human society is becoming more hollow from the inside with each passing day.""That's why I once believed in completely erasing society," the Executioner said. "But now…"K looked toward the direction where the Executioner was hiding. "I understand. But that won't work at this point. We are playing a gamble.""A is our last gamble. We are running out of time," the Executioner replied."I know," K said. "But there is no point dragging him into this mess before preparing him properly. It will only make things worse."K looked at his watch and stood up. "Well, it looks like our time is over." He stretched his arms. "Do you still wear that hat?""Yes," the Executioner said, "and you still have the same watch.""Well, it's better this way," K replied. "Now I am taking my leave.""At least say my real name before you leave," the Executioner requested.K walked toward the door that materialized in front of him. He grabbed the doorknob and said, "I will call you by your real name soon. Just wait."K opened the door and stepped through it. As he looked back, he caught a slight glimpse of the Executioner in chains, wearing his hat. The Executioner waved his hand before the door closed.K's voice echoed, "I hope A completes the task of survival."K smiled as he walked into the darkness. "You really have to learn a lot, A. But for now, I hope you are enjoying your adventure."Meanwhile, as A was being dragged into the darkness by the hands, he screamed, "LEAVE ME! SOMEBODY HELP!". — END OF CHAPTER 9 —
