Limit Breaker Zero – Chapter 7: The Weight of Reality
Ren Kurogane sprinted through the streets, heart pounding, catching up to the figure ahead. Joseph Ayikon's legs moved with astonishing speed—far faster than Ren had anticipated. Damn… this guy is fast. He's easily outspeeding me, and I'm not exactly slow myself, Ren thought, narrowing his eyes as he pushed forward.
For several minutes, they ran in tense silence, the cityscape blurring around them. Then, suddenly, Joseph skidded to a halt and turned toward Ren, tears streaming freely down his cheeks.
Ren froze. The sight shook him to his core. What… what is going on here? he thought, disbelief churning inside him. From everything he had witnessed—Joseph's mother's death, the soul beast encounter, the cruelty of this corrupt system—Joseph had never cried. Never. And now, here he was, openly breaking down.
Then it hit Ren. Oh… I get it now. The overwhelming grief of losing his mother, the harsh truths of the organization, the weight of all he had endured—it all came crashing down at once. He can't bear it anymore. He's just a kid…
Ren's heart softened as he realized something he had forgotten: Joseph's strength wasn't in being unfeeling—it was because, underneath it all, he was still human. He's a kid just like me. He needs a warm hand in his life.
Without thinking, Ren stepped forward and pulled Joseph into a firm embrace. His voice was steady, though tinged with emotion. "I cannot say I fully understand what you're going through… or the feeling itself. But I can promise this: no matter what, as long as it's possible, if you need a hand, I'll always be there."
Joseph looked up at him, a slight smirk breaking through his tears. "Thank you," he whispered, voice choked, before teasing softly, "Oh… so I'm your bro now, huh?"
Ren's eyes narrowed immediately, and with a swift punch to Joseph's shoulder, he muttered, "If you have time to joke around, I guess you're back to normal."
Joseph chuckled through his tears, the first genuine expression of relief and connection in a long time. For the first time in a while, the weight on his shoulders felt a little lighter.