"So, what's your choice?" Julia asked. "The key? Or the potion of forgetfulness?"
Uzi stared at the options before her, perplexed. On one hand, she could take the key to unlock her mother's book and discover the secrets within. Perhaps she could even learn why her mother had disappeared or what events had led to it. On the other hand, the second option was to take the potion of forgetfulness from Julia and return home as if nothing had happened, as if she hadn't come here, as if she and N hadn't been trapped in this swamp, as if she hadn't encountered Julia or that monster.
As she pondered, she noticed something, something missing from both options: N. Whether she chose the first or the second, the result would be the same; she would be leaving N alone to face that creature. And from her conversation with Julia, she knew that Julia had no intention of helping against the monster because of her fear of its master.
Uzi grabbed her bag and weapon and headed for the door, ignoring Julia, saying, "This is ridiculous."
"Where do you think you're going?" Julia asked, surprised.
"Bite me," Uzi snapped. "It's none of your business where I go." Uzi tried to open the door, but it was locked. "What...?" she asked, puzzled. She tried again with all her might, but it was the same. Uzi knew what this meant and turned to Julia. "What do you want now?"
"An explanation for the reckless act you intend to commit, young lady," Julia said firmly. She stood up from her chair, glaring at Uzi with anger and seriousness, waiting for her answer.
"Explanation? There's nothing I need to explain, Miss Doorman. Now, if you don't open this door..." Uzi said.
In a second, the house began to shake, and the fire that had illuminated the room went out, making Uzi anxious. But what truly terrified her was the sight of Julia. Her eyes had turned red, and a black mist enveloped her body. "I told you," she said in a terrifying voice, "I want an explanation for what you intend to do, Miss Doorman."
Uzi managed to compose herself quickly this time, even faster than the last time when Grog tried to kill her and she stood motionless. But now, despite the horrifying sight, her body didn't freeze with fear like before.
When a person encounters a frightening thing or sight for the first time, the body activates either the fight-or-flight response or the freeze response. In Uzi's case, when she encountered Grug, her body activated the freeze response, and the following occurred:
First: Her brain (or more precisely, the amygdala) detected the threat and determined that fight or flight was impossible, thus activating the freeze response.
Second: In the nervous system, the parasympathetic nervous system took control, in conjunction with the sympathetic nervous system, resulting in a complete cessation of movement.
Third: Regarding the heart and breathing, the heart rate decreased slightly, but despite this decrease, each heartbeat became loud, and breathing became shallow or temporarily stopped, meaning she experienced difficulty breathing.
Fourth: The most noticeable effect was on the muscles, as they experienced intense muscle tension and complete immobility, meaning the body became rigid and unable to move, as if bound.
Fifth: Skin and blood. Her skin becomes pale, her extremities are cold, and she sweats profusely.
Sixth: Hormonal release. Adrenaline is initially released, followed by acetylcholine, which helps to stop her movement.
But this time is completely different. She has the ability to move because her brain has become accustomed to the sight, finding it familiar or less dangerous than before. Consequently, the immediate alarm from the amygdala and the shock of the freeze response are reduced. She had faced N in the past, and her body activated the fight-or-flight response. When she encountered a monstrous, enormous creature like Grog, her body activated the freeze response. But now, it seems her mind and body have become somewhat accustomed to this because the parasympathetic system's control is lessened, and also because her brain has stored past experiences and built a relative "safety memory," which has lessened her sense of helplessness this time.
Uzi took a deep breath and said, "I told you it doesn't need explaining. I want to help N. That's all."
"Why?" Julia asked, surprised.
Uzi replied, "Because... Bite Me, it's none of your business. I'm not taking the key, and I'm not forcing you to help us against that rotten monster, so why are you bothering me?"
Julia said, "Let's just say it's curiosity. I mean, you refuse to take the key that will unlock your mother's mysterious book, and instead you want to go help a vampire against a monster that serves a very dangerous person. So even if you somehow escape the monster and miraculously kill it, you'll have another problem: you'll become an enemy of that dangerous person. That's the first thing. And secondly, how do you know that vampire won't betray you? I mean, you told me he's a good person and came here to help you without asking for anything in return, but no sane person would believe that. Not even a fool would believe it. It's impossible for someone to endure all that hardship and suffering, to be torn to pieces, for nothing."
Uzi pondered Julia's words, which seemed perfectly logical. Aside from the problem of the monster and its dangerous master, there was also N's problem. She began to think, "She's not entirely wrong. I mean, why did he decide to help me? He even faced that monster and saved me from it... Was he deceiving me? ... Did he know about the key?... If I helped him, and somehow we defeated the monster, wouldn't he kill me after discovering I didn't have the key?... Was I foolish to trust him?... Wouldn't it be better to leave him here and take the key? That way, he wouldn't betray me in the future, and I wouldn't become an enemy of that dangerous monster's master..."
As Uzi pondered, memories flooded back. She recalled what N had told her about himself, how he looked in the rain that day, how he carried her and flew here, how he had saved her and risked his own life for her, and how she had run away, leaving him alone.
Uzi clenched her fist and, looking Julia in the eye, said, "Bite Me. As I told you, I don't need to explain my actions to anyone, least of all you, my lady. Whether N betrays me in the future or not, whether I become the enemy of the most dangerous monster in this hidden world of monsters, or whether I die fighting that thing, none of it matters to you. You can keep the key; I don't want it. Now, if you don't open this door, I swear to you that I will..."
Julia interrupted her, saying, "Very well."
Uzi was surprised by this word and said, "What?"
Julia said, "I won't stop you from going, and I won't try any further. You seem to resemble Nori, even in your personality and the way you speak. You both like to do whatever you want without even explaining why."
Uzi said, "So... will you let me go?"
Julia said, "Yes, but I have just one question. How will you defeat that monster?"
Uzi thought for a moment and said, "Well, I have my weapon, but the problem is that it fires a powerful beam once and then stops working. So I was thinking of firing at the monster to weaken it, and then N could finish it off..."
Julia said, "No, that won't work, and your plan will fail miserably."
"And how do you know?" Uzi snapped. "I mean, you're hiding here like a coward and you don't want to help me, then..."
Julia interrupted her again, saying, "Your vampire partner is on the verge of collapse right now and might die at any moment."
Uzi was taken aback by this and said, "What? And how do you know that...?" Then Uzi remembered Julia saying that she could see who went in and out of the swamp, so she knew what was happening to N. "What's his condition now?" Uzi continued nervously.
Julia said, "Like I said before, he's on the verge of collapse. When you reached the swamp, he looked exhausted, and his fatigue increased when you discovered the tree. On top of that, his body isn't regenerating, and his attacks and speed are decreasing over time. I mean, I'm surprised he managed to last that long fighting Grog."
Uzi was shocked by this and said, "Was that idiot really exhausted when he flew me into the swamp and then went into this crazy fight while he was so tired?" Uzi's face flushed red, and she continued, looking down at the ground shyly and clutching her elbow, "That fool... why... why would he do this for me?"
Julia noticed this, fully understanding what it meant, and thought to herself, "How wonderful it is to be young. These two seem to have a lot in common." Julia asked, "Did he drink any blood before he came here?"
Uzi said, "I don't know, but from what he told me before, he doesn't like drinking human blood or eating humans... very much."
Julia was surprised by this and said, "A vampire doesn't like drinking human blood, and yet he managed to last that long? That seems impressive."
"There's no time for this now," Uzi said, opening the locked door. "I have to go help him now."
Before Uzi left, Julia said, "Before you go, I think I have a plan that will help you and your vampire friend."
Uzi stopped and asked, "What is it?"