*Boom!*

An explosion rang out as Miko was slapped away by a mammoth’s trunk.

It's been several days since he had entered the Illusionary Beast Valley. He quickly discovered that the monsters were far more dangerous than he expected. He lost count the amount of times he thought he was going to die.

“Ugh…”

He laid in a pile of snow with his body bloody and aching.

The weather in the valley changes on a daily basis. This is to train your body to quickly adapt to any environment.

“Shit!”

*Boom!*

The mammoth swung down its trunk to crush Miko, but he quickly rolled out of the way.

He then sprung to his feet and punched the beast in the side of its head.

*Bam!*

The beast took a few steps to the side, before slapping Miko with its trunk again.

But this time Miko held on to the trunk and stopped himself from being blown away.

The beast swung its trunk wildly to try and throw him off.

Miko waited patiently and leaped off the trunk and slash the mammoth across the eye. He then stabbed his hands in its eyes.

It started to move even more frantic. It tried to wrap its trunk around Miko to throw him off, but Miko jumped off before it could.

“Damn over grown rat.”

Miko climbed to the top of a tree and then jumped on the mammoth’s back.

He then started to rip through its neck with his claws. His claws were taking too long so he began biting it with his fangs.

Miko was like a beast ripping through the mammoth’s thick neck before finally reaching the insides. He didn’t waste anytime and plunged himself into the bloody flesh.

The mammoth wailed in a pain as Miko forced his entire body inside it.

The rest was history. Miko slashed, ripped, and devoured the insides thus killing it.

*Boom!*

The mammoth fell over on its sides.

“Ha!”

Miko burst out of its stomach drenched in blood

He wipe his face and licked his lips.

“….Mammoth meat tastes better than I excepted. Could it be that my sense of taste is changing?”

Saying so, Miko headed towards a river.

*Splash!*

The moment he reached the river a giant fish rushed out and swallowed him.

The fish then submerged itself underwater.

“…..”

Miko who was in the fish’s mouth, silently observe his situation.

“Well, this is surprising. I can breathe underwater.”

It was as he said. Even though he should be several feet underwater, Miko didn't have any trouble breathing.

(Well, considering that I am a Sea Goddess as well as a sea dragon it shouldn't be that surprising that you can breathe underwater.)

“You gotta point.”

It was then Miko suddenly had an idea.

“Tiamat, Which direction is this fish swimming towards?”

(East.)

“Then it's heading further into the valley. The dragon scales are preventing the stomach acids from burning me too.”

Miko smiled and leaned back as if he was making himself at home inside the fish’s stomach.

“This is perfect. I can just relax and enjoy the ride deeper into the valley.”

(I wouldn't do that if I were you. Did you forget what you came here to achieve?)

“I was joking. I don't really intend to stay in here forever. I'm just taking a break.”

Saying so, Miko closed his eyes and relaxed his body.

“I haven't slept peacefully in days.”

Around the same time, back at the palace.

Nero, Momo, Nova, and Sherry all sat in a circle on the ground. They all had huge saucers in their hands, and a ten feet tall bottle of wine was in the center.

“By the way, Gramps.”

Momo looked towards Nero who was drinking from an almost meter wide saucer.

“What did you mean when you said that it would be impossible for Miko to unlock his Qi because he's restraining himself too much?”

“Answer me first. What do you think of him?”

Momo also took a drink from the large saucer before answering.

“Well if we're talking about personality, he's really fun to be around. But he also gives of a dangerous feeling sometimes. He reminds me of you two.”

“Then potential wise?”

“A rare diamond needing polishing. He's reckless, but smart. His battle instincts also seem to be great. He's not as talent as me or Aeon when we were his age, but he's close. Overall, I think he should reach [S Class] before he's 20; [X Class] before 100. In other words, he definitely has what it takes to to reach the realm of [XXX Class] in the future.”

Nova nodded in agreement.

“Good insight as always, Momo. But I can understand why father believes that it will be hard for Miko to unlock Qi much less learn Qigong.”

Nova also took a drink, before continuing.

“The way I see it, Miko is on the verge of collapsing.”

“On the surface he looks like a manipulative, and conniving person who is nothing short from savage. But in reality that's not his true self.”

Nero added.

“Meaning?”

Sherry asked.

“I don't know why, but that kid is always holding himself back, and that's a problem when you're trying to learn Qigong.”

Nero remembered all the times he observed Miko's actions as well as his words. He always found something off about them.

Other than when he's at death door, he always give off a feeling of restriction. It's like he wants to fight more, play more, kill more, conquer more; but doesn’t because he's afraid of something.

“While it's true that Miko is quite similar to me and Junior, but there's a difference between us.”

“We don't let anything restrain us and let our desires run wild; while he’s subconsciously limiting himself.”

Nova added.

“If Miko doesn't get rid of the blockage in his heart and be true to his desires, he will never be able to use Qigong.”

Nero swirled the alcohol in his saucer and say-

“That's why I sent him to the Illusionary Beast Valley. The illusions in there always hit the deepest part of a person’s mind. Miko will have to face his demons whether he likes it or not.”

Nero drank the last of the liquor, and thought to himself.

‘Although, he might lose his mind in the process.’

Miko spent a long time sleeping in the belly of the monster fish. When he opened his eyes, he was greatly shocked.

“….The hell?”

He wasn't inside the fish. He wasn't even underwater. He was inside a building.

It was a white room with a lot of medical equipments.

It was a hospital room.

“….This place looks familiar.”

Miko began to inspect the room. He walked from behind the curtain, and looked towards the bed.

“?!”

What he saw laying there was a young woman.

She was Asian, had lustrous black hair, a cute face, and bright eyes.

“Su Li…”

Miko softly spoke the woman’s name.

“Su Li, are you awake?”

The door opened and a group of five walked in.

“?!”

Miko was once again shocked when he saw the group.

There were four men and a teenage girl.

“Jake, Scott, Pedro, Tyrone, Ashleigh.”

He spoke their names with a shaky voice.

“Ah, you're awake. What did the doctor say?”

Asked one of the men.

“He said that I'm fine.”

“That's a lie.”

This time a new person walked into the room.

It was a boy who was around 14 years old. He had messy black hair, deadpan green eyes, and caramel skin.

The entire atmosphere he gave off was that of a walking dead.

“Logan.”

That's right. It was a young Logan Cross.

He walked over to Su Li with a book in his hand.

“Su Li, you were shot in the stomach because you were shielding me. There's no way you're fine.”

“I'm fine. I swear.”

Logan looked at her with an expressionless gaze and spoke.

“Next week will be the final assignment for you guys. After that your contract with me will be over. However, Su Li. You won't be taking part in that assignment.”

“What?! Wait, Logan! You guys can't pull it off without my insight of the lab! If you go without me you'll die!”

“Calm down, Su Li. Logan ensured us that there's away we can make it in and out of the lab alive.”

Another man stepped forward and said such.

“But....”

“Su Li. Do you doubt my intelligence?”

Said Logan.

Su Li shook her head.

“How could I? It's because of you that we’re still alive even after everything we went through.”

She then showed Logan a beautiful smile.

“I trust you, Logan.”

“……..”

Miko watched this scene with an irritated expression. He remembered this day quite clearly. He also remembered the end result.

The scenery changed slightly. It was still the same room, but the number of people decreased.

“They were all killed?!”

Su Li shouted.

Logan nodded.

“H-Hahaha, quit joking Logan. There's no way they would die just like that.”

“I'm not joking. All five of them died when the lab exploded.”

Logan spoke with a straight face.

“I said stop joking!”

Su Li suddenly grabbed Logan by the collar.

“How could they all die?! What happened to your plan?! Did it fail?!”

Logan grabbed her arm with his glove-covered right hand and forced her to let go.

“The plan didn't fail. Everything went accordingly. They saw too much inside the lab, so I couldn’t allow them to live.”

“Y-You killed them?!”

“That's right.”

“You-You bastard! I'm going to kill you!”

Su Li tried to lift her body but suddenly felt weak and fell back into the bed.

“I-I can't move?!”

“Ah. That's because of this.”

Logan opened his palms and showed her a tiny needle in the center.

“This needle is coated in Tetrodotoxin. You should already know what that means.”

“Y-You! What are you going to do to me?!”

“Nothing. It's just a precaution.”

He put his hand back into his pocket and took out a cell phone.

“I wired €7 million extra into your account. Consider it payment for the others.”

“I don't want your money! What do you think human lives are?! I grew up with those guys! No amount of money can replace them!”

Su Li shouted with tears flowing down her cheeks.

“I-I even thought of you as a little brother! How could you do this to me?! To us who you spent over a year with?!”

“As long as I can completely destroy the project nothing else matters.”

Saying so, Logan turned and left.

“Wait! Wait, damn it! I'll kill you! I'll definitely kill you one day!”

Logan looked back at the crying and hateful Su Li and said-

“I hope you can keep that promise.”

Su Li saw him smile for the first time as he said those words.

“Tch.”

Miko clicked his tongue out of irritation as he could feel the emotions from back then flow into him.

“Is this the Illusionary Beast Valley messing with my head? If so, this isn't funny.”

The scenery changed again.

This time it was a dim-lit room that looked a bit luxurious.

On the bed were a blonde girl in her late teens, and a boy around 15.

“First China, now London.”

Miko watched the illusion with a complicated expression.

The woman who was naked, passionately wrapped her arms around Logan.

“I love you, Logan.”

She whispered in his ear softly.”

“……”

Logan said nothing in return. He just wrapped his arms around her naked waist.

“You don't need to say anything. I already know my role.”

“….You're going to die tomorrow.”

The woman smiled and kissed Logan on the lips.

“I should've died when my father sold me to those loan sharks. I'm just repaying you for allowing me to experience a bit of happiness for the first time in my life.”

“…….”

Logan said nothing more, and climbed on top of the woman.

The scenery changed to a waiting area inside an airport.

Logan sat near the window and looked at the planes on the runway.

His phone started ring, so he answered it.

(I'm above the target now.)

“….I see.”

(Hey, what's with that sad tone? Could it be that you're already missing me?)

“…….”

(….I see. Well it's been fun, Logan. Thank you again for everything you've done for me.)

It was then a piston airplane was seen descending towards the runway. The plane’s sudden appearance caused a lot of confusion for the staff.

(Goodbye, Logan. I loved you.)

*BOOM!*

“Kyaaaaaa!”

Screams of horror echoed through the airport as the piston crashed into a commercial plane and exploded.

*BOOM!*

A second explosion rang out as the both planes were completely destroyed.

Seeing this Logan stood up and slowly walked away with his back turned to the chaos.

“Goodbye, Katrine.”

“Stop it!”

Miko shouted as he tried to kick his past self. But his foot went through it like it was a ghost.

He gritted his teeth. He was breathing heavily as he could literally feeling his blood pressure raising.

“Tiamat! How do I get out of here?!”

He got no reply.

“Oi, Tiamat!”

The scenery changed again.

This time he was in a snowy area.

He looked around and saw a large building with the sign “The International School Of Moscow”.

“Hahaha, take that! And that, you fucking weirdo!”

He could see a group of teens stomping on another teen on the ground.

“Hahaha-guh?!”

Someone came out of nowhere and kicked one of the teens in the face. He then proceeded to beat the rest of the bullies senselessly before they ran away screaming.

The person then turned his attention to the teen on the ground.

“You okay?”

He said as he stretched his hand out towards him. The teen took it and stood up.

“T-Thank you.”

“No problem. I just couldn't watch as they ganged up on you. Oh I'm Andrei by the way. What's your name?”

“V-Viktor. Viktor Cross.”

Andrei(Logan) smiled and said-

“Nice to meet you, Vik.”

The scenery then changed to a classroom.

Logan and Viktor were sitting and talking.

“Um…Andrei. Would you like to come over to my house one day? My parents say that they really want to meet you, and thank you for sticking up for me and being my friend.”

Logan smiled when he heard that.

“Sure.”

The scenery changed again.

This time it was night but the light from a burning house illuminated the darkness.

“Why?! Why Andrei?!”

Viktor and Logan stood in front of the burning house. Viktor was furious, while Logan was apathetic.

“Why did you do this?! My parents and siblings are dead because of you!”

Viktor shouted.

“Y-You were my only real friend! I trusted you like a brother, so why?!”

Logan didn't answer and pull a gun from his waist. He threw it in front of Viktor.

“Take it and decide your future.”

Logan said with a flat tone.

Viktor took up the gun with his trembling hands. He looked at it with a daze expression for a while.

He then pointed the gun at Logan.

There was no panic on Logan's face. He just stared at Viktor.

He watched as Viktor put gun on the temple and pulled trigger.

*Gunshot!*

Viktor’s body then tumbled over to the ground.

Logan stared at his body for a while before turning to leave.

“Coward.”

He spoke those last words and left.

The sceneries then began to change and Miko was forced to watched dozens of inhumane acts and dozens of betrayals.

He could feel something breaking with each scene he watched.

After who knew how long, the final scene played before his eyes.

It was a 17-year-old Logan pointing a gun at the head of an old man.

Around them were several bodies with gunshot wounds. Some were dressed in military uniform while the others were in suits.

“End of the line, Theodore Cross.”

“Logan, huh. To think that a mere reject was able to disrupt God’s holy project.”

“Shut up! What part of this is holy?!”

“Everything.”

Logan gritted his teeth and released the gun’s safety.

“Answer me this, Theodore. I've crushed labs all over the world, burn down offices, and slaughtered everyone with the simplest information about the project. But no matter how much I searched I couldn't find out the identity of your God.”

He pushed the gun hard on Theodore’s head.

“Who is the god you people praise so much?”

“What would knowing that do for you?”

Theodore smirked.

“I heard all about it, Logan. You did some heinous acts to reach this stage. You've betrayed friends, lovers, and killed hundreds of innocents. And now you're completely isolated. You've erased everyone who cared about you all for your stupid revenge.”

“The name of the God, you fucker!”

“Unfortunately, I don't know either. Our God is simply referred as such, God. I don't know his true name.”

“You mean to tell me that all this time you people of have been worshipping a nameless god. Then that's just a fake God!”

“That's right, Logan. You've sinned over and over again, you've killed all those dear to you. And for what? A made up God my ancestor created to gain power and influence!”

Theodore started laughing wildly.

“Congratulations, Logan Cross! You're officially the stupidest person in the world!”

*Gunshot!* *Gunshot!* *Gunshot!* *Gunshot!* *Gunshot!* *Gunshot!*

*Click*

Logan blew the man’s head away with the gun that he had and threw it away.

He then took out a knife started to stabbing the corpse.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”

He thrust his knife as tears he's been holding back for years ran down his face.

With every stab he took he could remember the faces of all the people he discarded.

“Fuck!”

A woman who he saw as a sister.

“Fuck!”

An irreplaceable lover who made him happy.

“Fuck!”

A timid boy who proved to be a true friend he could rely on.

“FUCK!”

“STOP IT!”

With Miko's scream the world became completely black.

He fell to his knees and held his head.

The illusions that he saw felt so real, that it was like Miko had relived all those events. His body couldn't help but tremble.

“Miko.”

It was then he heard a soothing voice.

When he looked up, he saw Sasha looking down on him with a tender expression.

“Miko.”

She stretched her hands towards him as if trying to help him to his feet.

“Keh?!”

But she didn't help him up.

Sasha wrapped her arms on Miko's neck and started to squeeze it.

“Die, you devil spawn! Die, you god damn monster!”

Miko kicked her away from him and stared at her in shock. There was hatred in her eyes.

“Mikky.”

He looked to his left and saw Hina, Ace and Sora.

“Why? Why are you so cruel towards us, Mikky?”

She walked towards him.

“Why?....Why won't you die?!”

They suddenly sprung on him.

He jumped back and avoid them.

“?!”

That's when he suddenly felt someone holding his legs.

He looked down and saw Luka inside his shadow gripping his legs.

“Why? Why are you enjoying a fulfilling life after trampling over all your love ones, you monster?!”

“Big Bro.”

“Big Brother.”

The twins also appeared behind him and grabbed him.

“Please die, Big Bro.”

“Do us a favor and disappear forever.”

At this time Sasha and trio also reached him.

“Guh?!”

They started beating and stabbing Miko.

“Die. Die. Die. Die. Die.”

That was all Miko could hear as he was assaulted.

Despite the pain, he refused to fight back. Especially after reliving all of his past sins. His mind was in a fragile state.

“Huh?”

However, Miko suddenly felt as if his arm was moving on its own.

It stretched towards the Kristen.

“No!”

*Slash!*

His claws ripped Kristen’s head from his body.

It then started moving again.

“Stop!”

*Slash!*

It slashed Tessa’s throat and ripped Luka's head off.

Miko's body then started to move wildly.

He bit off Sora’s neck. He ripped out Ace’s intestines. And finally, he crushed Hina’s head under his feet.

Only Sasha remained.

“Miko.”

Sasha walked up to him and hugged.

“It's okay. Mommy will always love you no matter what you become.”

“No, not her! Not her!”

*Stab!*

His hand stabbed into Sasha's back and ripped her heart out from behind.

She looked at Miko in disbelief.

“W-Why…Miko?”

Her body hit the floor, and blood stained the world.

“Aha…”

Miko looked at all the corpse at his feet and then at his bloody hands.

“Ahaha….”

He watched as the corpses changed to people of his past.

“Ah…ah…ah…ah”

The corpse of Kristine opened its eyes and looked at him.

“I love you, Logan.”

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Miko suddenly started to slashed himself with his claws like a wildly animal.

The final string that held up his sanity popped and turning him into a raging beast.

“AH…AH…AH!”

He started to slash his own face.

“AH…AH…AH….AH…AH…AH!”

He dug his claws into eyes and started crushing them.

“ARGHHHHHH?!”

Blood leaked from his socket as he destroyed his eyes.

*BOOM!*

At this time the fish that swallowed Miko exploded.

*Boom!*

A wild beast shot out of the water like a bullet.

It landed in a sunny area far different from the previous winter area.

“…….”

It stood in a slouch.

“Roar!”

A saber tiger suddenly shot out of a bush and rushed towards.

The tiger pounce to rip the beast’s throat.

However the beast bent backwards in an odd fashion.

The tiger flew over it and landed behind it. The tiger then did a second attempt at the beast’s neck.

*Bam!*

“Rawr?!”

But this time the beast slammed its leg into the tiger, and forced it up into the air.

The tiger fell back to the ground with broken bones.

“…….”

The eyeless beast looked down on the tiger and lifted its foot.

*Crush!*

“Rawr?!”

The tiger released a miserable squeal as the beast crushed its chest.

“……”

The beast then silently stooped down and began to slowly rip the tiger with its claws.

First it crushed its eyes. Then it ripped out its tongue. Then it grabbed the tiger’s mouth and ripped off the lower jaw.

It then cut opened the stomach and pulled out the tiger’s intestines. It wrapped the intestines around the its neck.

It ripped off its legs and tail and forced them into the tiger’s eye sockets.

“……”

Either because it was satisfied or because it got bored, the beast stood up and silently walked away from the tiger and further into the valley.

It was in this way that Miko lost his mind for a third time in his two life times.