Central Government Castle, Dominatus — Vanguard Residence.
Inside the temple, Light raises both brows and looks up at Johan with curiosity.
"Who exactly do you send in the second wave?!" Light says, directing the question at Johan.
"Hmm?" Johan murmurs, lifting his gaze to return Light's stare.
"As far as I know, that person only has a close relationship with the others… Why are you so confident in them?!" Light asks, folding both arms.
"Ah," Johan tilts his head slightly. "I am fortunate to have them." he continues.
"Hmm?" Light murmurs.
"You know, we humans each possess our own weaknesses, weaknesses that can become fatal to ourselves…" Johan adds.
"Oh," Light says shortly.
"That person possesses the perfect character for me, and being intelligent in every aspect is their gift and greatest advantage. Having them is a tremendous achievement for me—in the process of reaching my dream…" Johan explains.
"Heh," Light lets out a faint chuckle.
"And you exploit the weakness they possess until they fall completely under your control?!" Light continues.
Johan nods.
"That is correct," Johan replies.
A faint smile forms on his face.
"And I kill them first with my own hands, because I will never allow someone that intelligent to wander beyond my control!" Johan explains.
The smile on Light's face deepens.
PLAK—PLAK—PLAK!
Light applauds in appreciation.
"I have lost count of how many times…" Light says.
He smiles widely at Johan.
"I truly admire your intelligence…" he continues.
"…After all, you are more intelligent than they are. Are you not?" he adds.
Johan takes a deep breath, closes both eyes, and looks up toward the ceiling of the temple.
"Well," he exhales slowly.
He lowers his head and opens his eyes.
"That is what I must do…" he says.
He folds both arms.
"That is what I can do…" he continues.
"That is what I have done." he adds.
Tilting his head slightly—
"Thank you for the appreciation."
His face—
TKCPHAAAAAAAHMNH!
—is smashed brutally into the ground—
KRAAK!
—the earth cracks and shatters—
SHWAHMN!
—thick dust rises into the air as Loki collapses instantly.
"Ekh—" he hisses in an extremely faint voice, his consciousness barely remaining as the pupils in his eyes continue fading away.
SLHAAAHSH!
A light wind blows gently, brushing through Leon's hair as he stands before him, looking down silently and expressionlessly.
Loki stares at him vaguely, the sky behind Leon growing brighter and brighter.
More and more—
"Huh," he murmurs.
—until the light completely illuminates his vision—
"WHERE?!" his voice suddenly becomes loud and clear.
"Hmm?" Albert murmurs from his right side, looking at him in confusion.
"N-no, I was just daydreaming." Loki replies.
They walk slowly across a vast green field.
Jiza suddenly stops walking, frozen as he stares at something far ahead of them—
"That kid?!" Jiza says from beside him.
Loki and Albert realize it as well—a familiar figure, someone they once knew.
"That child… Is that really him?!" Albert says.
The figure walks closer, wearing long pants and a sweater—
"HIRO?!" Loki says.
—and glasses.
Hiro continues approaching Jiza and the others, who remain frozen by his presence.
Hiro's eyes close, then slowly open again as only a few steps remain between them.
"Is everything over already?!" Hiro asks them.
Loki shakes his head.
"No. What happens there is a long story." he replies.
"Hmm?" Hiro murmurs as they continue staring sharply at him.
"Oh." Hiro realizes something.
Both hands touch his glasses before removing them from his face.
"…These. They belong to someone you all know, of course." he says, lowering his gaze toward the glasses before his chest.
"Johan?!" Albert says.
Hiro shakes his head and looks up at him.
"Leon." he says, extending the glasses toward them.
"I'm curious?!" Loki says, accepting the glasses as he looks up at Hiro.
Everyone's gaze shifts toward him.
"Hmm?" Hiro murmurs.
"Leon came to see you that day…" Loki says halfway.
He raises both brows and lowers his face slightly.
"…However—" he continues.
"—why does he die at the hands of the Predator?!" he adds.
Hiro does not answer immediately. He lowers his head halfway.
"Am I wrong?!" Loki asks.
Hiro exhales heavily.
"No. You are not wrong." Hiro replies.
"Without realizing it, I begin my own journey and leave them behind that early morning…"
Hiro raises both brows, staring blankly.
"…Including Leon and his younger sister there."
"His younger sister?!" Loki asks.
Hiro nods once.
"Without my knowledge, I begin traveling with a girl who leads me to that point… the traveling companion that Albert and Loki know well—she is Leon's younger sister." Hiro says, looking at both of them.
"Ehmp?" Loki responds, furrowing his face.
"I see…" Albert says.
"I am sorry." Hiro says.
"If only I had been there—"
DUK!
"Death cannot be avoided, kid!" Albert interrupts, placing a hand on Hiro's head.
"After all, none of us know when death will come for us." he adds.
"But…" Hiro interrupts, trying to explain.
DUK.
"That is right." Jiza interrupts.
"If you had been there?! Then you would not be standing here… you would die alongside him, and that would become a meaningless death for you…" Jiza explains to him.
Jiza places one hand on Hiro's shoulder.
"…I am proud of you, kid. I am proud that I let you live that day, and that you walk the correct path." Jiza continues.
Albert nods.
"That's right." Albert says, placing both hands into his pockets.
"Be proud. We are standing behind you now." Albert continues.
Jiza removes his hand from Hiro's shoulder.
"Whenever you need us, we will always stand behind you." Jiza adds.
"Hmm?" Hiro murmurs, turning toward Loki.
"Hey, hey, hey… look at me." Loki says, folding both arms, smiling faintly while wearing Leon's glasses.
"Do I look incredibly handsome now?!" he asks.
"No!" Albert immediately judges.
"B-BUT—" Loki protests, furrowing both brows.
"Hmphm…" A faint laugh escapes.
Hiro laughs softly and smiles faintly as he watches them.
Loki's entire body trembles uncontrollably, yet with determination, he moves his hand toward the pocket containing something—
"M-my brother—"
—the glasses.
Leon stands before his collapsed body, covered in severe wounds.
"—J-Johan."
Leon furrows his face while staring at him.
Loki raises both brows.
"L-Leon. Whatever your name may be—"
Both of his hands continue trembling violently.
"T-this—"
He struggles to lift it.
"—belongs to you!"
But he lacks the strength.
BRUK.
One of his hands falls helplessly onto the ground along with the glasses in his grasp.
However—
"Ekh."
—he tries once again.
"I-I have taken care of them with all my heart."
His left hand forcefully rises, helping support the glasses held in his right hand.
"P-please—"
He bites his lip hard, trying again and again.
"—take your glasses!"
The glasses rest upon both of his palms.
"Wear them—and, come back to your senses!"
He offers them toward Leon standing before him.
"A-after—"
Warm tears slowly flow down his face, dripping further beneath his lowered head.
"M-my—"
A faint smile filled with warmth and longing forms clearly upon his face.
"—last breath."