The cheering had barely died when the floorboards trembled.
VVVVVRRRRRRRRR—SHRRAK—!
A chainsaw's roar cut through the safehouse like a demon laughing underwater.
Zen froze mid-breath.The others went pale.
Moro whispered:
"…no…not him…"
A scream split the hallway.
"AAAAAAAGH—HE'S TEARING US APART—!!"
A severed arm bounced into the room, skidding across the floorboards until it tapped Zen's boot.
Silence.
Then the footsteps came.
Slow.Heavy.Purposeful.
THUMP… THUMP… THUMP…
Pain appeared in the doorway, filling it with darkness.
His gas mask dripped blood.His chainsaw-gauntlet roared with hunger.His eyes—two empty pits behind broken lenses—glowed with pure insanity.
He tilted his head slowly.
"…dogs…"
No one moved.
Pain dragged his chainsaw along the wall, sparks bursting like dying stars.
"You dogs bark too loud.Avalon feeds you… shelters you…And you STILL try to bite?"
He inhaled deeply behind the mask.
"Mmm… fear.Warm MEAT…"
A gangster fired a pistol desperately.
Pain vanished.
He reappeared behind the man.
"First slice."
SHRRRRRRRAK—!!
The gangster exploded into red mist.
The room screamed.
Treasonoz discs shot from Pain's sleeves—
WHIIING—WHIIING—WHIIING—!!
Three men dropped at once.One split across the chest.One beheaded.One torn open from stomach to spine.
Moro grabbed Zen and pushed him behind a table.
"ZEN—STAY DOWN!"
Pain spun slowly, cracked his neck.
"So many toys.So much meat.Time for breakfast…"
He stepped forward—
But Moro lunged first, firing a shotgun.
The impact barely made Pain flinch.
He caught the shells mid-air and dropped them.
Moro roared:
"STAY BACK, MONSTER!"
Pain whispered:
"Monster?No…Just hungry."
He punched once.
BOOOOM—!
Moro flew across the room, smashing into a steel cabinet.
Zen screamed:
"MORO—!!"
Pain didn't look at Zen.
He only looked at Moro lying on the floor, coughing blood.
Then—
Pain began walking toward him slowly.
Moro's vision blurred.His ears rang.Blood filled his mouth.
As Pain approached, something warm tore open inside Moro's memories.
The world slowed.
FLASHBACK — MORO'S MEMORY AS HE LIES DYING
The Rust Pits.Years ago.
A crowd of children circled a crying, smaller boy—Rey.They shoved him, stole his cake, pushed him into the mud.
"You're useless! Cry more!"
A thin eight-year-old boy stepped into the alley.
Zen.
He looked small.Barefoot.Hungry.
But his eyes…
His eyes burned like fire born in darkness.
"Put the cake back," young Zen said.
The older boy laughed.
"Or what?"
Zen didn't answer.
He attacked.
He leapt into six kids twice his size, a whirlwind of fists, elbows, knees.He got kicked, punched, slammed into the ground.
He stood up every time.
He bled from the lip.
His nose broke.
But he protected Rey.
At the end, Zen limped to his crying brother and gave him the bigger half of the cake.
Moro watched it all.
He remembered whispering:
"That kid… he's not a devil.He just fights like one."
And that day…
Moro chose to raise Zen as his own.
BACK TO THE SLAUGHTER
Pain stood over Moro.
Moro couldn't move.Blood dripped from his mouth.
Pain raised the chainsaw.
"Dogs who forget their master…get CUT."
Zen screamed:
"STOP—!! LEAVE HIM ALONE—!!"
Pain paused.
Turned his head—just slightly.
Behind the mask, he smiled.
"Zen…little Devil…You'll get your turn."
He slammed the chainsaw down.
SPLAAAAAAT—!!
Blood showered the walls.
Moro's body fell in pieces.
Zen's scream echoed through the entire safehouse.
"NOOOOOOOOOO—!!"
Pain flicked gore off his gauntlet.
"Heheheh…More meat.More MEAT…"
He turned toward the remaining gang members.
"Time for bacon."
VVVRRRRRRRR—SHRRAK—SHRRRAK—SHRRAK—!!
He carved through them like paper.
Limbs flew.Blood sprayed.Bodies fell apart before they hit the ground.
Zen crawled backward, shaking violently.
Not from fear.
From rage so deep it shattered his bones.
Pain walked past him.
"You… stay alive.Avalon wants your brother.You?You're seasoning."
He giggled as he vanished into the smoke-filled corridor.
Leaving Zen alone in a sea of bodies.
Zen fell to his knees.
His voice broke:
"…I swear…Avalon…Pain…All of you…"
His fist clenched until it bled.
"I will burn your world to ashes."