Danan couldn’t fathom why Gloria believed in him so fiercely. Despite the rifle aimed at him, Gloria’s unwavering camaraderie—unchanged from their time in Hydro de Benzene—was a potent enigma, a human-shaped toxin shaking the very foundations of Danan’s undercity survival code. Shaking off Gloria’s hand from his mechanical arm, Danan shot him a glance with his obsidian eyes and clicked his tongue.

  “…Gloria,” he said.

  “What is it, Danan?” Gloria replied.

  “No matter how much you call me a friend, no matter how sweet your words sound, I’ll probably… never truly trust you. The undercity where I’ve lived and the mid-level city where you, a pampered rich kid, come from—they’re literally different worlds.”

  “…”

  In the undercity, survival meant killing; to live, you kept killing. In the mid-level city, rights and freedom were guaranteed, and people were judged under the law. An invisible wall separated Danan and Gloria, a thick, unyielding psychological barrier rooted in the differing values of their worlds.

  Undercity dwellers were indifferent to death. Corpses rotting in alleys were ordinary, not worth a second thought. Survival was everything; others’ lives were expendable, their killing intent met with lethal force. Danan was no exception, trampling others to survive, pulling the trigger without hesitation. In this hellish borderland, where merciless demons were toyed with by the law of the strong devouring the weak, having a friend was a luxury.

  “Gloria, you said I’m crying, killing myself… I just killed an old friend. I took her life with my own hands.”

  He could still feel the high-frequency blade sinking into flesh, warm blood trickling down the blade to the ground. Her breathing faded, the moment her life extinguished etched into him. Danan, who’d taken Seira’s life at her plea for salvation, stared at Gloria with dark eyes and gave a thin smile.

  “I’ve killed friends. Strangers, people I don’t even know—I don’t hesitate to kill them if I need to. But… I’m trash who can even kill someone who trusted me. Scum like me… can’t be your friend. No… I shouldn’t be. Understand, Gloria.”

  As he started to walk away, Gloria grabbed his collar and punched him hard across the cheek.

  Pain flared, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Danan’s eyes widened in shock, meeting Gloria’s gaze, filled with barely contained fury.

  “So… you’ll keep running from everyone?” Gloria demanded.

  “…”

  “Living only for yourself, ignoring your crying heart? Living without facing those who trusted you, who tried to trust you… that’s betrayal. How long will you keep telling silent lies with your words and actions? Answer me, Danan!”

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  In Hydro de Benzene, Gloria had shown slight cracks in his composure but always maintained a dignified air. Now, his anger made Danan clench his teeth, wiping the blood from his face.

  “What do you know? A mid-level city rich kid—what do you know about me?! Running? Betrayal? I’ve lived in a place where you have to accept that to survive! Not some cushy world where you don’t worry about your life!”

  “You’re right, we live in completely different worlds! But that’s exactly why we can understand each other! We can share different values, different feelings! Let me tell you why I want to be your friend, why I’m trying to be! I want to save people—every single person who’s crying, shedding tears! People like you, hiding their true selves to survive—I want to save them!”

  Ridiculous idealism. Impossible to achieve. A savior complex? Spouting such things without shame… he’s insane.

  But… the tears in Gloria’s eyes were real. He genuinely believed in his ideals, thought them achievable. Overwhelmed by his intensity, Danan muttered, “Understand that? As if I could.”

  “You don’t have to understand now, and I know you won’t. But I’m serious, Danan.”

  “…”

  “How to wipe your tears, how to save your crying heart—I don’t know. Maybe… that’s something you have to find yourself. But I can help you find it.”

  “I should pay a price for that. For you helping me.”

  “No need.”

  “…That’s just hypocrisy.”

  “That’s what friends are, Danan.”

  His sincere words pierced Danan’s heart, his unwavering gaze painful. Unable to meet Gloria’s eyes, Danan bit his lower lip.

  Trust led to betrayal. Even trying to trust meant hearing desire-soaked words battering his ears. If betrayal was inevitable, if he’d be the one hurt, better to kill first. Don’t be swayed by sweet talk of friendship—don’t trust, just use them. Use them, drain them dry, and when they’re no longer useful, put a bullet in their head. That’s… what friendship means in the undercity.

  But Gloria’s definition of friendship was utterly foreign to Danan. A bond where you reach out to save, pour your strength into helping—it was a thought he couldn’t grasp, an ideology that couldn’t exist. Should he take the hand offered to him? Hesitating, Danan met Gloria’s smile.

  “If,” Gloria began.

  “…”

  “If I ever betray you, if I become irredeemable, I want you to kill me.”

  “You too?” Danan snapped.

  “Hm?”

  “You’re saying the same thing she did? Loading me with guilt, with sin? Don’t mess with me!”

  “No, Danan.”

  “What’s different! Fine, I’ll kill you, rip you apart without hesitation…! If I kill you—”

  “My words are a vow never to betray you.”

  “A vow?”

  “Yes, a vow. I won’t betray you, and I won’t become irredeemable. So I make this oath, entrusting my life to you. If you can’t believe my words, if you doubt me, I’ll stake my life on it.”

  “…Idiot.”

  “…”

  “Your words are heavy. For someone like me, you’re too much.”

  “I had to say it like this, or you wouldn’t listen, would you?”

  He was right. Shaking his head, Danan finally met Gloria’s eyes, scratching his cheek.

  “…Gloria,” he said.

  “What is it, Danan?”

  “You don’t… need to stake your life.”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t want your life, and if you want to die, do it yourself.”

  “…”

  “Die somewhere I can’t see, where I’ll never know. But if something happens, talk to me. Email, comms, a call—anything. If you need my strength, call me without hesitation. I live in the undercity, but I’ll find a way to the mid-level city. Gloria… I want you to live. I want the guy who calls me a friend to live as long as possible. If I don’t know you’re dead… I can believe you’re still alive.”

  “I promise, Danan.”

  Patting Danan’s shoulder lightly, Gloria offered a soft smile and extended his hand. Hesitating but cautiously taking it, Danan let out a deep sigh.

  “Let’s go, Danan.”

  “…Yeah.”

  Following Gloria’s back, Danan left Hydro de Benzene behind.