Chapter 56 — "Last Plan"
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**Team 2 – Deep Inside the Loop Cave**
No one stopped fighting.
Even as comrades fell.
Even as blood sprayed across glowing crystal walls.
Even as screams echoed and died.
Tears streamed down faces, but rifles kept barking—controlled bursts, never stopping.
Sacrifice.
They couldn't let it go to waste.
Jin-young slashed through another monster—blade cutting deep into purple-veined flesh.
He saw a soldier get grabbed—claws tearing through armor.
Another crushed under a falling stalactite.
A third ripped in half—screaming until the sound cut short.
Jin-young's eyes burned.
Flashback hit him like a blade.
**Sector B. Years ago.**
Bombs falling.
Monsters stomping through streets.
Civilians—girls, children—screaming as buildings collapsed.
He stood frozen.
Couldn't move.
Couldn't save anyone.
Useless.
Always useless.
Tears fell now—hot, angry.
*How much stronger do I need to be?*
*I still can't protect my people.*
*Nothing has changed.*
He punched his own thigh—hard.
Again.
Crying openly.
Then he saw Min-young—still firing, still standing.
Soldiers—still fighting, even as they wept.
Jin-young wiped his tears—roughly.
Stood taller.
*Yes.*
*Now I understand.*
*It was never about power.*
He roared—voice raw.
"AAAAAHHHHH!!!"
Sword ignited brighter.
He charged—slashing wildly, desperately, protecting the ones still alive.
---
The soldiers kept firing.
Tears mixed with sweat and blood.
One girl—young, trembling—shouted while shooting.
"If I die… and you survive… tell Minami she can use my clothes!"
Another stepped forward—voice breaking.
"If I die… my feelings will die with me."
She turned to the girl beside her—firing together.
"I love you. I know we're both girls… but I guess I'm different. If I die… at least remember me. I'll be happy."
Both cried—openly—while still pulling triggers.
Monsters roared.
Claws slashed.
Blood sprayed.
No one stopped.
---
A massive monster broke through cover—right in front of Min-young.
Jin-young dove—slashed its neck.
Blood gushed.
He looked at her—eyes wet.
"Mina… I'm sorry. Or… do I even need to say this?"
No smile on either face.
He looked down.
"Since day one… I've always teased you. I don't know why. And I don't know how to stop."
His jaw clenched—fighting tears.
He didn't finish the sentence.
Just ran forward again—sword raised.
---
Then—something fell from above.
Small.
Parachute opening.
**Hoka-Hoka Bot.**
It landed beside Jin-young—tiny legs wobbling.
Jin-young stared—surprised, then smiled.
The bot looked up.
"How can you leave me there?! If you open me, it's your responsibility to look after me! You know you hurt my feelings!"
Jin-young laughed—wet, broken.
"I'm sorry."
He rubbed the bot's head.
The bot puffed up.
"Hmm. Nice. That's how you talk."
Jin-young shouted—loud, desperate.
"Everyone! I've got an idea!"
Faces turned—hope flashing through fear.
The two girls ran to him.
Jin-young looked at them—all of them.
"I've made up my mind. It's not just about power. It's courage. The will to protect. And I'm ready to die."
Min-young's voice trembled.
"But… what's the plan?"
Jin-young pointed at the gunpowder pouches on fallen soldiers.
"We take all the gunpowder—from the dead too. Make one big explosion. It'll kill every monster here… and us too."
Silence.
Then—slow nods.
Tears.
One soldier whispered.
"We're ready."
They moved—gathering pouches, even while still firing.
Jin-young collected everything—piled it in the center.
He looked at the tiny mech.
"Hoka-Hoka… you have a weird name. But… will you be my friend? And do me one last favor? Not an order."
The bot's LED eyes softened—almost emotional.
It nodded.
Jin-young smiled—genuine.
"Thanks."
The bot walked to the pile.
Looked back at everyone.
"Guys… remember me. We robots… we didn't just want to live in slavery. We wanted to live with you… as friends."
Everyone's eyes filled.
Jin-young's voice cracked.
"I guess… that's it for me. Now I can sleep peacefully."
He looked up—toward the ceiling.
"I'm coming, Seo Yea. I did enough."
Min-young clutched a half-red napkin—tight.
"I didn't get to know you better… I guess I was never meant to be yours."
The bot jumped onto the gunpowder pile.
Looked at them one last time—heroic, tiny smile.
Then—
**BOOOOOOOOM!**
The explosion ripped through the cave.
White light.
Heat.
Everyone cried—openly.
But they smiled through the tears.
Happy.
At peace.
The blast consumed everything.
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*End*