CHAPTER 56: CHAPTER 56: A PAINTING OF FADING INNOCENCE

"Why... is he not moving? Is he dead?"

"Does he look dead to you? How did he even survive?"

"Who... is it?"

"Right, you wasn’t here yesterday. The motherfucker’s crazy, man. He was popping them motherfucking snakes left and right."

Everyone was hesitant to approach Adam. The veteran creeps made sure not to make a sound, but that didn’t stop them from whispering among themselves.

"He’s not moving... we sure he ain’t dead?" one asked, clutching his weapon tighter.

"You should be asking why the Heroes aren’t moving instead."

They were right. Vincent and the others weren’t moving and were only staring at Adam. The Heroes looked at Adam, then at each other, and then back at Adam again before they whispered among themselves.

"...How is he alive? We all saw him get mowed down by the verdrakill," Eugene muttered, his brow furrowed, "We all saw that, right?"

No one answered him. But after a moment of looking around, Dennis narrowed his eyes. "These eggs... maybe the boss was trying to feed him to its children?"

"I believe that makes the most sense," Vincent nodded before focusing all his attention on Adam. "What doesn’t is how he survived. He doesn’t seem to have any wounds on him."

"He fought... all of these baby snakes?" Eugene gestured at the carnage surrounding them, "We really do need to recruit the guy to the guild, Vince. If he survives and is reborn as a Hero, I’m sure he’d be high tier."

"It still doesn’t make sense how he survived this," Vincent narrowed his eyes in suspicion at Adam.

"No—considering these verdlecks have just been born, it makes sense they would be weaker," Dennis grabbed a dead verdlecks from the water, its soft body dangling even with the slightest of movement, "It’s... just a shame, these materials are practically useless. Even a normal person could kill these things."

"In this number?" Vincent glanced at Dennis before pointing at the verdlecks who were close to their normal adult size, "And how do you explain those, then?"

"He’s a really good fighter," Dennis shrugged, "You’ve seen him yesterday—he was the only one not running like an idiot. And he actively shot the serpents point-blank even though he had a gun."

"Hmm."

The Heroes looked at each other in silence after that. No one said a word as they contemplated the painting in front of them.

A painting, perhaps that was the best way to describe it.

The soft light of the swamp cast shadows across the scene, it caught on the scales of the dead verdlecks, making them shimmer as if they were still alive—but their executioner standing on top of them showed otherwise.

Adam was holding a sharp branch pierced through a verdlecks’ eye like a sceptre, remaining unnaturally still. Truly, like a painting.

Soon, however, this painting moved.

Suddenly, Adam stood up, causing everyone to flinch and raise their weapons instinctively.

Adam stared at them with hollow eyes before he stepped down from the mountain of dead monsters.

No, he didn’t step down—he rolled down. The life in his eyes disappeared, and his body came tumbling down like a puppet with its strings suddenly cut. He rolled and rolled, until he finally hit the swampy ground with a wet thud.

"What the..."

It became quiet again.

And the only sounds were the buzzing of insects, the occasional splash of something moving beneath the murky water, and the confusion escaping everyone’s lips.

But soon, another sound followed—a gurgle. A bubbling beneath the water where Adam’s head should be.

Before anyone else could react, Vincent shouted, "He’s still alive! Let’s get him out and then rest for today!"

The veteran creeps quickly rushed to get to Adam. As they lifted him, they confirmed he was indeed unscathed—aside from his ripped clothes. They could also see scars across his body.

But these scars were old.

The veteran creeps didn’t really say anything. They just focused on carrying Adam out.

Fortunately, they didn’t encounter any monsters along the way, and with them having mapped most of the area, the Heroes led them through the safest path outside.

As for Adam, well—he was dreaming right now. Dreaming of another memory. Dreaming of her. The woman in his dreams.

"Adam...?"

"Yes, Adam."

"But I thought... my name was Zero?"

"No!"

The woman’s voice echoed softly in the white, suffocating room. Adam sat beside her on a cold metal bench that was stuck to the wall, his small legs dangling above the floor.

He tried to look at her, but the woman’s face still remained a blur in his memory. But he knew—he knew how warm her voice was.

It was... a comfort that completely shadowed everything else.

"Never, ever call yourself Zero, okay? Adam. That’s your name now."

"Adam... like in the book?"

"Hmhmn."

He remembered puttering his lips, licking his teeth as the name felt strange in his tongue, yet... somehow right.

"But...only parents are allowed to give names. Are you... my mother now, then?"

W...what!?" A burst of laughter escaped the woman’s lips.

"Excuse me? I’m only nineteen, Adam! Sister, I’m your..."

"Hmm?"

The woman’s words started to fade in and out, but the feeling remained. Adam remembered everything, everything except her face.

She brought him books sometimes, sneaking them past the guards and the other doctors. They’d read together, her voice changing for each character.

It was... lovely.

Sometimes she’d bring a small puzzle or a simple game. Those moments were... islands of joy in an endless ocean of pain.

But happiness never lasted long in that place.

They were discovered. Men in white coats came flooding in when they were playing a game of chess. He remembered now.

Two guards came in and grabbed her, dragging her by her arms. Adam tried to stop them, but they tazed him—to the point smoke came out of his flesh and skin.

"N...No! Stop!"

"What did we tell you about entering the subject’s containment?!" A tall, bald man with glasses shouted, his face red with fury. Adam would know; he remembered his face.

He remembered all of their faces; the other doctors, the guards who dragged her out and pulled her hair. He remembered, all except for her.

Another doctor, older with gray hair at his temples, stepped between them. "Don’t get attached to him! He’s not human!"

"Not human!? Are you people blind!? He’s a child! A little boy!"

"Dr. Williams, control your intern!" The tall man barked, turning to someone standing in the doorway.

Dr. Williams? That’s... new.