'What do I do?'

Splitting.

'I should let One kill her.'

'I should stop One from killing her.'

'If she kills her, One and Seven won't kill any more innocents.'

'If she kills her, this child can never experience a normal life.'

'The child couldn't ever experience a normal life anyways.'

'I could give her a normal life.'

'Do you think you have the power to do so?'

Splitting.

'If this single child is sacrificed then thousands more will be saved at the cost of her life.'

'How can we even know that One and Seven will keep their promise in the first place?'

'Are you willing to throw away this opportunity to help so many just to save the single person in front of your face?'

'Are you willing to ignore the person in front of you on the scarce possibility that others might be saved?'

Sylvia was splitting.

And as her mind flew back and forth, the child before her held no sadness.

There was no fear within her eyes, nor was there any sort of human emotion.

Even as she was trapped in the hair of Sylvia, which constrained her like wires, she didn't make the slightest cry.

'I.... don't know.'

Sylvia closed her eyes, tears filling them as indecision overtook her.

"I don't... fucking... know...."

Falling to her knees, Sylvia accepted her position.

She was a human.

No - rather, she was once a human.

Now she was nothing more than a rotten corpse.

A zombie who had no power of her own - for even the power to revive from death was something which Number One had granted her.

"I don't know!! I don't know whether I should kill this child or not!!! How can you ask me to do such a thing with a straight face!?!? How can you-"

[I want to know, Sylvia.]

'Eh?'

The voice with which Number One spoke was different before.

It still spoke with that mocking tone, sadistically enjoying as it watched the suffering of others.

Yet Sylvia heard it very clearly.

Longing.

Desperation.

These two things were present in the tone of One as she spoke into the mind of Sylvia.

[I want to know... exactly what you will do here.]

It was in that instant for just a moment that Sylvia felt as if time around her had stopped.

Was it just the mood of the moment?

Was it the overwhelming power within One's voice overtaking her mind?

Or had time literally come to a halt?

Sylvia did not know.

However in that land of frozen time, even the blood that covered her did not drop to the ground.

Her body was unable to move, as if nothing was possible.

[Humans... believe in concepts such as right and wrong. Good... and evil. This is a concept which is universal among humans. No matter what nation... what culture... what place you go... you will always find the concept of good and evil.]

Yet in that land of frozen time, there was one thing which remained unfrozen.

The icy voice of One, which had lost all its sadistic joy to be replaced by a distant tone.

[Good... and evil. It seems so simple. It seems so easy. People who help others are good. People who make others happy are good. People who do what's best for everyone else... are good. But if that good is at the cost of a sacrifice... then can it truly be called good?]

Slowly, the voice of One became faster and faster as it spoke to Sylvia.

[If you sacrifice someone else besides yourself for the sake of others, then can you call yourself good? Can you say you did the right thing? If you put someone else through horrible pain with the hopes that it will benefit many others, then can you consider yourself to be good? How? How can such a thing be possible? No... such a thing is nothing more than arrogance. Yet... it would also be nothing more than foolishness to refuse such an opportunity. Logically... this child should die. Logically... you should kill this child. Logically... there is a solution. But whether that logical decision is good or evil...]

[Heh.]

[That's something else entirely.]

Not a second passed.

The clock did not move, nor was a single breath taken.

[There is one single thing that I... Seven... Two... Five... and the other three... there is one thing that we want to prove with certainty.]

With a whisper, the smugness had returned to the voice of one as she giggled.

[We want to prove to the world that the doing of that man was absolutely... without doubt... evil.]

[We want to show that the creations that he labored for... the ruthless experiments he performed... the thousands of sacrifices he made... they were all for nothing.]

[No... worse than nothing.]

[Heh.]

[We want to show everyone in this world that without doubt... the work of that man was evil.]

[And that everything he did... all of the evil he performed in order to boast to the world about the good his creations had done… that his creations were actually the very monsters which ended up destroying... and ruining humanity.]

[Because if we used our power to help people... then he would be justified in what he did.]

[And that is the last thing that any of us want.]

[For his actions to have been right.]

[We want him to be wrong.]

[Both logically, and morally.]

[Therefore... we will destroy.]

[We will ruin.]

[We will corrupt.]

[We will threaten.]

[Until everyone in this world hates us... and in turn... the monster who created us.]

----

Time resumed.

Blood dripped from the hands of Sylvia, and the girl before her resumed her emotionless gaze.

"Are you going to kill me? Or are you going to continue staring at me like that?"

The girl spoke up, glaring at Sylvia without an ounce of fear in her.

'How can this girl... say such a thing?'

'How can she not be scared at all... of death?'

Sylvia had experienced death.

Not once.

Not twice.

But FIVE times.

She had gone through the gauntlet.

She had experienced torture.

She had been broken down enough to the point where she wanted to throw everything aside and stop living.

But even so, she was still scared.

She still feared death.

For no matter what brave expression she put on, it was still terrifying.

So how much more terrifying should it be to someone who had never experienced such a thing?

To someone who wouldn't wake up again?

[You never decided. Therefore... I'm going to decide for you.]

However unlike before, as if time had been frozen, time now did not wait for Sylvia.

'Wait... One... what-'

[The girl lives.]

[Test over.]

[Now you have to kill her yourself... or the deal is off.]

Unwrapping the girl, Number One seemed to smile as the girl was freed, to which she rushed forward, knife in hand.

"I don't know who you are or how you got such powers... but it was a mistake to let me go.", the girl stated as she attacked Sylvia.

Sylvia dodged out of the way, barely escaping as the knife grazed her cheek, drawing blood.

The girl pressed forth, unleashing a flurry of attacks on Sylvia at which Marcus seemed to be frantically deciding what to do.

[Stop.]

However before she was able to land a killing blow, a man stood between the two women.

A man with slicked back blonde hair, who had an eccentric smile as he held out his hand.

This man, whose eyes had become blackened with the intrusion of a monster, looked down to the girl with a grin.

[I've seen enough. You will obey these people from this point on. Is that clear?]

The girl seemed to be confused for only a moment, as she immediately lowered her weapon as she changed modes.

"Understood, brother. I do not understand why you would order such a thing, nor do I understand why you are acting so out of the ordinary. However... I will obey."

I will obey.

These words exited the girl, and they were the last words that were spoken to the blonde man.

Before his head exploded.

Guts rained throughout the room, covering the face of the girl along with the two who watched the entire scene.

The body of the man dropped to the floor, headless.

'Why...'

Marcus wondered why, but he was cut off by Seven.

[Progress. Excellent work, Number One. If only I was able to achieve such results with my host... I should take lessons from you. However for now... we will let this sink in.]

[Got it, Seven!]

With this short interaction, the voices disappeared.

Marcus and Sylvia were left in the silence of the room once more, and between them was a young girl who looked back and forth between the two.

"What are my next orders, master and mistress?"

As the girl said this, the two racked their minds, trying to comprehend everything that had occurred.

However no matter how much they thought, they could not.

"For now... we are going to rest.", Marcus stated as he fell backwards, landing in a pile of bodies as he stared at the ceiling, covered in blood.

"I suppose... that's right.", Sylvia murmured as she sat down, thinning her eyes with a pained expression.

"Should I remain standing? Or should I recline myself as you two have?"

"Do what you want, kid.", Sylvia said. "I don't even know what I'm supposed to do. How the fuck should I know what you should be doing?"

----

Marcus and Sylvia sat within that room of blood, gazing at the child before their eyes landed on each other.

"Marcus."

"What is it this time, Sylvia?"

With a pained smile, Marcus looked to the woman with a defeated softness.

"I found something else out."

"What did you find out this time?"

Looking to the ground, Sylvia took in a breath as she thought of what to even say.

"Number One... number Seven... well... I suppose I found out their goal."

From the moment she had been overtaken, Sylvia had not been able to understand the actions behind the experiments.

They seemed to have no sense of logic, and no matter what they did she couldn't seem to find any pattern in them.

One moment they were slaughtering people. The next they were testing people almost as if to better them. The next they were laughing as they watched people in pain. And the next they were saving people - even if the manner in which they did so was not exactly that of a hero.

Sometimes they would work with Marcus and Sylvia. Other times they would purposely torment them with horrid decisions, interfering in their lives.

It was something which forced Marcus and Sylvia to live in a state of unpredictability, knowing that at any moment the monsters within them might sprout out, causing chaos without rhyme or rhythm.

However, Sylvia now knew why they acted the way they did.

She now understood their motive.

"It all... makes sense. I understand... exactly what they want. And why they are doing what they're doing. I understand everything."

"Are you going to keep me waiting? Spit it out already."

The two spoke with complete defeat in their tones.

For what else could this be but a defeat?

"Everything that we've done... has it all been for nothing?"

Her voice quivering as she spoke, Sylvia looked to the ground as she thought out loud.

"I mean... the people we've helped... the children at the school... even this child right here... at the end of the day, if Seven and One decide to, they'll be killed as well. It doesn't really matter if we help them or leave them, does it?"

"You're keeping me on edge."

At that moment as Sylvia said this, Marcus stood up.

Approaching the woman, the man looked down on her as he closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath.

"Stand up."

"Eh?"

"Stand."

Sylvia found herself listening as she was commanded to stand, at which Marcus grabbed her cheeks.

"Wha- what are you doing?"

"We already decided. Didn't we?"

The words pierced Sylvia, causing her to avert her gaze from the man.

"Even if we decided... if it's all for nothing... then shouldn't we rethink our decision? Shouldn't we... forget about helping people?"

"Yes."

Faced with this unexpected answer, Sylvia looked up to Marcus with surprise.

"Eh? Yes?"

"Yes. We should forget about helping people. After all... that would be easiest, right? We wouldn't have to worry about anything. We could do as we pleased, and never have to worry about what Seven or One did with our bodies. We could roam this world, creating destruction wherever we went, and we wouldn't have to bat an eye. And perhaps... we would lose any guilt we may have at some point. In the end... it would be fine. No?"

It was then that Marcus' tone became deep, and Sylvia found her face mere inches from his as she was faced with two piercing eyes.

"But if we were to do that... then would we truly be able to live with ourselves?"

Letting go of Sylvia, Marcus approached the girl as he crossed his arms, looking down upon her with a stern expression.

"I myself have never been one for helping others. I've spent my life surviving. Only after the destruction of this world have I ever been so focused on helping the people around me. It would be more natural if I were to simply forget. However..."

Closing his eyes, the hands of the man trembled slightly as he spoke.

"I cannot do that anymore."

Taking in a deep breath, Marcus lowered himself as he looked the girl in the eyes.

She stood there, gazing into him as if she could see straight through his soul.

"You seemed very obedient to that man. Did he hurt you?"

Marcus spoke with a gentleness in his voice as he spoke to the girl, who merely tilted her head in confusion.

"I'm not sure I understand. Why would my brother hurt me?", the girl responded.

"So he didn't?"

The girl found herself silenced, thinking about how to answer.

"I... don't know the answer. Forgive me... master."

"Why are you calling me master?"

"Because my brother told me to serve you. Therefore... wouldn't that make you the master and her the mistress?"

The girl spoke promptly, not doubting a single thing that she said.

As if she was completely convinced that there was nothing odd with her statements, she spoke in such a matter of fact manner that Marcus was disturbed.

"So just because your... brother... told you... you would listen to him? Even after watching him die like that?"

"If you die, then it is because you failed at life. And the punishment for such failure is death. That is something which my brother told us over and over. Therefore... would it not be accurate to say that he himself failed at life?"

Spreading her arms out as she motioned to the children around her, the girl spoke without being phased.

"They too all failed at life. They were ordered to kill you, and they failed. I too might have failed, but for one reason or another I didn't completely fail. Perhaps it was because I lived long enough for my mission to be changed, but that much is beyond my control. The result is that I am alive. Therefore I will continue to perform my mission... until my death."

With a quick nod, Marcus let out a single phrase.

"I see."

With this, Marcus turned away from the girl, looking to Sylvia.

Perhaps he had accepted the corrupted state of her mind.

Perhaps he was ignoring it, and didn't want to think about what must have happened to the girl to bring her to this point.

'Or perhaps... I am merely becoming colder.'

"Sylvia. What did you find out about the motive that the experiments have?"

Looking over to the woman, Marcus entered a mode of complete seriousness.

No longer the pathetic man who he was moments before, unable to do anything, he was now locked on, professionally attempting to gather all information so as to act on it.

"Ah... I see. You think that we need to just keep moving on... no matter how futile it is?"

"Yes."

"I see."

Stepping forth, Sylvia nodded as she wiped the tears from her face.

"Perhaps that is correct. Very well. I'll tell you then."

Crossing her arms, the woman faced Marcus as she too entered a state of work, prepared to act.

"Number One and Number Seven... and perhaps all the other experiments... We already know that they were once human. We know that the scientist known as Victor Lichtenburg performed horrid experiments on them. We know that they were tormented in horrible ways, and experimented on to the point where they became monsters who couldn't even resemble human forms. And I thought that Number One and Number Seven were just trying to get their revenge on that man. In a way... that is correct. However, it's a bit different from that."

"How so?"

Tapping his finger as he crossed his arms, the two stood stiffly as they spoke, not missing a beat.

"The man known as Victor was trying to prove to the world that the suffering he made them endure was for a great cause. The brainwashing... the torture... all of it was to mold them. He was trying to mold them into weapons which would allow him to rule this world. Am I wrong, One?"

[Hehe... you really are smart, Sylvia. I never told you that directly... but yes. That's what that man was trying to do.]

"And if he ruled the world with power... then he would be able to portray that power as proof of his superiority to all others. Essentially... with power comes the ability to define righteousness. Am I wrong?"

[No... you're exactly right.]

"So he would take over the world by force. He would use his power to justify a number of calamities as he took over the world effortlessly. He would then boast of his own achievements, saying that it was his effort... his research... his sacrifice... which was able to unite the entire world underneath him. And under the influence of his propeganda, the people would be left with no choice but to love him. And anyone who didn't... would be considered evil. No?"

[I'm beginning to wonder if you've seen more of my memories than I know of... but maybe you've just guessed this based on what you've already seen of him? Hehe... well, yes.]

[It's simple really.]

[Anyone who went against him would be evil.]

[Therefore... if that was to be true... then we wanted to be the first.]

[And the last.]

[We wanted to become the most evil beings to ever be released into this world.]

[To deny him of his dream... to deny him of his world... we wanted to become that evil.]

[Therefore... we destroyed this world.]

[Before he could implement his final plot.]

[And now... with this world in ruins... he will be denied his dream.]

[And having become the ultimate villains who ruined this world... we will see things to the end.]

[We will continue to oversee this world.]

[And we will spread our names... to all the people of this world.]

[As the monsters who destroyed it.]

[And as the creations... of Victor Lichtenburg.]

----

"I understand now."

Closing her eyes, a grin formed on Sylvia's expression.

"Heh... that was all?"

With a chuckle, Sylvia placed her hand to her forehead as she covered her eyes.

"Hey One. Why didn't you just tell me this before?"

[Wha... What are you laughing about?]

"All we have to do is become hated. Right?"

[Eh?]

It was at that moment that Sylvia stepped forward, wrapping her hand around the throat of the emotionless child.

"All we have to do... is become KNOWN AS the worst villains to ever exist. Right?"

The child didn't so much as move, looking Sylvia in the eyes as the woman grinned sinisterly.

"All we have to do... is be hated... so that people hate the one who created us. Right?"

[Hehehe... ah... I see what you're getting at. Sylvia... you really are an interesting host.]

"That means that if we can get everyone to hate us... then it doesn't matter what happens beyond that. Right? And you two don't care how it's done?"

[That's correct.]

The one to respond was Number Seven, who chuckled as he seemed to be entertained.

"Then... the easiest way to do that would be to become DICTATORS. Am I wrong?"

[Ah... how interesting. So you wish to take over this ruined world... ruling the people with an iron fist... abusing your power to the point where they despise you?]

"Yes."

[You're fine with being hated?]

"Yes."

[You're fine with being known as a monster?]

"Yes."

[You're fine with going down in history as the worst villains to ever taint this corrupted human world?]

"Yes."

[Excellent.]

As Marcus listened into the conversation between Sylvia and 7, he too felt himself smiling.

"Heh... how could it have been so simple?"

Placing his hand to his face, he felt like an idiot.

'All I had to do... was understand the thing inside me. And we could have come to such an agreement.'

[Very well.]

[You two pass as our hosts.]

[Show me then.]

[Show me that you can harden yourselves to become villains in this world.]

"We won't just become villains."

With a grin, Marcus spoke out, adding onto the words of Sylvia.

"We will continue to help people... as we have been. We will continue to do what is right... and yet even as we do what is right... we will be known for what is wrong. We will become the inverse of a politician. A politician is a person who pretends to be good on the outside while hiding corruption, wickedness, and all sorts of horrible things from the public eye. Therefore... we will become the opposite. We will do what is right... while being hated for it."

With the grin of a businessman, Marcus fixed his shredded tie as his eyes gleamed with opportunity.

"We will become... antiheroes."