Iseul hazy eyes darted around, trying to identify who was near, who was a friend or foe.
Finally, her gaze settled on Loadon.
"Welcome back, creator," he said calmly.
Short breaths picked up as iseul tried to speak.
"Where are the mutated beasts?!" she rasped, confused, coughing intermittently.
Iseul sighed in relief seeing loadon, though she still kept her guard up.
The manifested creation dissolved into thin air.
She continued to question him as she inspected the unifamiliar environment.
"Where are the others? What happened? Where are the mutant beasts?"
The group realized she had no memory beyond the stampede.
Do we tell her?
The thought was universal, unspoken.
"With us," Joon-Seok said softly, stepping into her line of sight.
Iseul eyes widened as she saw her friends.
"You're safe, you're at our homestead," Haewon chimed in, stepping out from behind her brother, offering a comforting smile.
Iseul tried to search her memory but came up blank.
She gasped, choking on the air. Hands flew to her throat.
"—!"
"Creator!" Loadon moved instantly, supporting her upright.
"Iseul!" friends shouted, watching her struggle.
"She looks like she can't breathe!" Choon-Hee tried to remove her mask, but Joon-Seok stopped her, calling for the butler mech.
"Gullius!"
Gullius appeared, handing a breathing mask to Loadon.
"Here—breathe slowly, creator," Loadon murmured, pressing the mask over her mouth and nose.
The hiss of decompression filled the room as she struggled, chest heaving once, then settling.
Her cheeks gained color, relief washing over them.
Haewon, tears pricking her eyes, brushed sweat from Iseul's face.
Haewon reached out, gripping Iseul's hand again.
"We'll deal with it together. But right now… rest. Let it settle. Your gift's… remarkable. That's all that matters here."
Iseul nodded slowly though lost, still aware of the power thrumming through her.
Even as her lungs eased and her heartbeat steadied.
Joon-Seok offered his hand, helping her stand.
She wobbled but stayed upright.
A small, uncertain smile tugged at her lips.
She looked at everyone, eyes glassy.
"Thank you… everyone. Truly."
Her gaze lingered on Haewon.
Iseul didn't know why, but she felt relief, guilt, and sadness when she looked at her.
She felt like something had happened between them that she should never forget.
'What are they not telling me?' She asked herself as she felt it eating at her.
"What is it, sweetie? Is there something you have to say or need?"
After hesitation, she voiced her thoughts.
"I feel like something happened after the mutated animal stampede. Can you tell me what happened?"
Haewon nodded, voice trembling with fear and gratitude.
"Physically, yes. But…" She squeezed Iseul's hand.
"It's a lot that happened. But we're all here. Remember that when the time comes, we'll talk about everything. OK, dear?"
Iseul's expression faltered.
Fear, confusion, and guilt flickered across her features.
Though she had two dreams while unconscious—the first vague, the second tied to Haewon, something very important she couldn't recall—she felt her gift had strengthened.
Her Infinite Force was now usable without her being in her workshop.
Something had to happen for it to grow like this.
"I… caused trouble for everyone, didn't I?" she stated instead of asking softly.
The others were about to open their mouths to deny when they were beaten by the non-reader in all situations, Bulter Gullius.
"Yes," Gallius confirmed, glancing at the med-pod's sensors.
Everyone looked at him in disbelief and annoyance.
'Really?!' They all couldn't believe he really had no cool it.
"You absorbed quite a bit of the surrounding radiation in the villa. The surrounding air is safer now, but harder for the Scrapper Moon-borns to breathe normally."
"Oh? I did?" she murmured, confused.
"!— Wait what?!"
Her eyes widened as realization hit.
'How do they know?!'
'Did they know about her gift power?'
'Its strangeness?'
'Why aren't they saying anything?!'
'Do they think I'm a freak?'
Her mind raced with all the different types of possibilities as fear subconsciously bubbled up in her chest.
She now sees the mask on her friends. Iseul's gift was feeding on the surrounding radiation without her knowing.
It was her fault —she was the cause.
She demanded, breath short, "What happened at the scrapyard?"
Everyone stayed silent.
Changing the subject was Joon-Seok.
Joon-Seok broke the silence letting out a shaky laugh, half in annoyance.
He gave Gullius a look of warning.
"Only you, Gullius. Thank you for your unnecessary chime in now. Please get our guest some tea and refreshments"
Butler Gullius stood there blankly staring at his young master, who seemed to suddenly be annoyed with him.
"Now Gullius!"
"Affirmative young master going now." he left with his hands on his hip, huffing and puffing, mumbling uttering his breath.
Joon-seok's side and relief wiped the nonexistent sweat that gathered on his forehead.
Choon-Hee laughed weakly, following him in masking everyone's unease.
"We all managed, kiddo. Don't worry about it."
"Yeah, aren't you hungry? Let's get you something to snack on so you can get the rest of your strength back." Haewon understood what they were trying to do and also stepped up.
Iseul didn't answer them immediately.
She didn't believe them. She felt their cautiousness towards her.
What happened? Why can't she remember anything else?!
Sigh
Hearing her sigh the group all shared certain glances once again.
Loading watched everything unfold from the side, indifferently, eyes shining green.
Iseul's gaze drifted toward the balcony.
Slowly, she stepped forward, each footfall measured.
The doors slid open.
Haewon started to follow but was stopped by Ji-ho.
"Give her a moment and let her be."
Haewon nodded, watching Iseul's worried, sad eyes.
The faint metallic tang of Scrapper Moon's air rushed in.
She breathed it in, eyes reflecting the distant neon glow of Neo-Seoul.
No one spoke.
The group watched her silhouette framed against the dying light, the quiet hum of her unique energy vibrating faintly through the air.
Outside, the undercity burned with tension—gangs and officials locked in uneasy standoffs, unaware that the balance of power had already shifted.
Far beyond the horizon, TGCDG agents sped toward them—still eleven hours away—unaware that something inside this quiet villa had already begun to awaken.
And it had a pulse.