As Helmon gazed at his son's horrendous appearance and the trail of destruction behind him, filled with despair and guilt, he spoke softly to Tuziku.
"I'm so sorry, my son… this is all my fault!"
Tears streamed down his face.
"Fa—ther…" Tuziku groaned.
Upon seeing his father's hopeless and guilty expression, the acid that had coated Tuziku's body slowly began to drip away, pooling on the floor around him.
Surprisingly, Tuziku's body was completely unscathed by the corrosive substance.
thud…
He fell to the floor.
"Tuziku!!!" Helmon shouted.
"Father—what's going on?" Tuziku asked softly, confusion etched across his face.
He doesn't remember?! Helmon thought.
"Here, put these clothes on, quickly!" Helmon urged.
"Listen, son… something happened to you. You did a lot of bad things, and now, a lot of dangerous people are coming for you!"
"You have to run away from here!!" he shouted.
Tuziku, now fully conscious, stared at the ruin and destruction in his wake.
"Did—did I do that?!" he whispered, sorrow and shock dawning on him.
Helmon stayed silent, guilt weighing heavily on his face.
"There he is!!" a soldier shouted.
Seconds later, an entire military crew appeared, firing shots at Tuziku and his father.
boom... boom... boom...
"What's going on?!" Tuziku asked, panicked.
"Run and get to the dock, Tuziku! Don't look back!"
"Hurry!!"Helmon shouted.
boom… boom… thud…
Helmon was fatally shot and he collapsed.
"Father!!!" Tuziku cried.
With his final breath, Helmon whispered a single word:
"R—un!"
"Kill that filthy monster!" a soldier shouted as they advanced.
boom… boom…
Tuziku sprinted toward the dock, the soldiers hot on his heels, firing relentlessly.
What's happening to me? he thought.
Did I cause all of this? Is that why I'm being targeted?!
boom… boom…
"Hahh… hahh…" he panted, struggling to breathe.
What's happening to me?
As Tuziku reached the dock, a soldier stood waiting to intercept him.
Damn it! I can't get to the boat!
boom… boom…
"Ahhhhhh!!" he screamed.
I've been shot in the stomach! I have to get away from here!
sploosh…
Desperate, Tuziku leapt into the uncharted waters of the Grand Sea, swimming toward the sailboat.
"He jumped into the sea!" a soldier shouted.
"Find him!" another replied.
Dodging bullets while swimming, wounded Tuziku finally reached the sailboat he and his father had used to cross to Fuyu.
He sailed away as soldiers on land continued to fire, trying in vain to sink his escape vessel.
CHAPTER END