The Heart of Zero

The night cloaked their journey, but at last, they arrived at their destination. Relief washed over Shingin as the weight of their harrowing trek momentarily lifted. A faint smile crept across his face, betraying a rare sense of ease and anticipation.

"Finally, we're here," he murmured, his gaze fixed on the nondescript building ahead. The slightly ajar basement door beckoned them, its shadowy entrance concealing what lay within. Standing in wait were familiar faces, including Rayl, alongside a few unfamiliar figures.

With unrestrained enthusiasm, Shingin raised his arm, calling out, "Rayl! We've—"

Before the words could leave his lips, a deafening explosion shattered the stillness. The ground convulsed violently beneath them as an inferno of fire and smoke erupted from the basement. The blast wave tore through the night, scattering debris like lethal projectiles.

Flames roared to life, consuming everything in their path. The searing heat suffocated the air, and the acrid stench of burning metal and flesh permeated the scene.

Riyugi screamed as the shockwave hurled her to the ground, her voice piercing through the cacophony. Her trembling body crumpled at Shingin's feet, eyes wide with terror.

Shingin stood paralyzed, his arms frozen mid-motion, his mind struggling to comprehend the chaos around him. Jagged shards of debris tore at his skin, leaving stinging cuts in their wake, but the pain barely registered. His smile faltered, shattering like glass, exposing the bewilderment and horror beneath.

He forced his gaze upward. The once-familiar headquarters was unrecognizable—a smoldering inferno reduced to rubble.

Revolutionaries stationed at the door had borne the brunt of the blast, their bodies flung like ragdolls. Agonized screams mingled with the crackling of flames, and amidst the devastation, Rayl's battered form emerged. He struggled to rise, his clothes singed and his face twisted with pain and fury.

"What… the hell happened?" he choked out, his voice hoarse with disbelief as he surveyed the inferno before him.

The fire raged on, relentless and consuming. The Revolutionaries' sanctuary had been transformed into a blazing hellscape, with no sign of respite.

Riyugi's cries jolted Shingin back to the present. She crawled weakly away, her trembling hands clutching at the ground as if to anchor herself to reality. Her tear-streaked face reflected sheer terror.

"Shingin!!!" Rayl's voice thundered, cutting through the chaos. His furious eyes locked onto Shingin as he staggered toward him, shaking with uncontainable rage. "What have you done!? Who is that woman!?"

Shingin's lips parted, but no sound emerged. His mind spun in disarray, unable to reconcile the accusations with the calamity before him. Riyugi clung to him, tears streaming, while the air grew heavier with smoke and tension.

The surviving Revolutionaries rallied behind Rayl, their expressions a mix of grief and fury. They turned their ire toward Riyugi, their glares brimming with unspoken condemnation.

"She's one of them!" Rayl roared, his voice raw with anguish. "She's the enemy! Do you even understand what you've done? How many lives she's cost us?"

Shingin staggered back, as if struck by an invisible blow. He shook his head, stammering, "Rayl, wait… This has to be a mistake. Riyugi… she wouldn't—"

"A mistake?" Rayl spat, his eyes blazing with contempt. "You fought them on the road, didn't you? No one else knew our location, yet you brought her here! She's been tracking you, feeding our plans to the enemy! She's a spy! Do you even realize the blood on her hands?"

Shingin's heart sank. Doubt crept into his voice as he turned to Riyugi, his voice barely above a whisper. "Riyugi… is it true?"

Her tear-filled eyes widened with shock and hurt. She shook her head vehemently, sobbing, "No… Shingin, no! It's not true! I don't know why this is happening!"

Her desperate denial did little to quell the growing storm. Rayl stepped forward, his voice brimming with venom. "Hand her over, Shingin. If you're loyal to the cause, you'll do what's right."

Shingin's legs felt like lead, his mind a maelstrom of conflicting emotions. He wanted to trust Riyugi, to protect her—but the evidence was damning. Memories flooded back: the ambushes, the inexplicable close calls, the enemy's unnerving precision. It all painted a grim picture.

"Shingin!" Rayl's shout snapped him back. "Don't let your foolishness destroy what we've built! She's a danger to all of us!"

Before Shingin could answer, a figure lunged from the crowd. One of the Revolutionaries, driven by grief and rage, charged forward with a dagger in hand. His target was clear—Riyugi. The blade gleamed in the firelight as it arced toward her, aiming for her heart.

Time seemed to slow as Shingin moved instinctively, his body reacting before his mind could catch up.