Error 001: Mercy not found

Yuna lay slumped, blood trickling from her temple, her black crop top torn, her breathing shallow but steady after Zane's devastating kick. The Dark Seraph's headless body twitched on the pavement, its severed head dangling from Zane's hand, inky blood dripping in thick, viscous streams.

Kai stood frozen, his twin swords lowered, their blades glinting faintly.

His raven-black hair clung to his sweat-soaked forehead as he muttered, "It's… a person." He had braced for another monstrous Gemini, not this white-haired figure who had knocked out Yuna and beheaded the Dark Seraph in a single, terrifying instant. His boots shifted on the gravel, his sharp eyes darting between Zane and Ariel, uncertainty tightening his grip on his swords.

Valmer's sable-rose eyes narrowed, his long black coat swaying as he stood amidst the chaos, rosary beads clinking softly around his neck.

'Who is he? There are only five Primordial Awakeners, but this guy looks stronger than any of us. More importantly, is he friend or foe? He hurt Yuna but killed the Dark Seraph, so what's his deal?' He glanced at the fallen Geminis—Ragumon, Rocksborne, Yoka, Mistibeast—still recovering from his [Judgement of God], their healing slowed but persistent. The Titnice, perched on the rooftop, its snow-white form unmoved, black eyes glinting, was the only Gemini unscathed.

Celine, crouched behind a crumbled wall across the street, peered through the dust, her red hair spilling over her shoulders, hazel eyes wide with confusion. "Who's that? He looks… familiar, but I'm not sure..." she whispered, her voice trembling. Zane's white hair and hardened build, forged by his training on Zoic, made him unrecognizable to her, though a faint memory tugged at her heart.

Ariel, cradled in Zane's arms, choked on blood, her golden hair matted with grime, her tattered dress soaked red from the Dark Seraph's transferred wounds. Her blue eyes, dim with pain, flickered with recognition. "Is… is that you… big brother Zane?" she rasped, her voice barely a whisper, blood bubbling at her lips.

Zane's piercing eyes softened, his white hair falling over his face as he knelt, holding her close, his heart shattering with every shallow breath she took. "Don't speak, Ariel," he murmured, his voice cracking, raw with anguish. "Big brother's here. Everything's going to be alright." But the sight of her—wounds crisscrossing her small frame, blood pooling beneath her—tore at him. He had missed her desperately, endured hellish training on Zoic to protect her, yet here she was, broken. Each gash, each bruise, fueled his fury, his heart splintering into a million jagged pieces. He rose, taking deliberate steps toward the rear, cradling Ariel gently, his boots crunching on the debris-strewn pavement as he tossed the Dark Seraph's head to the side. No one spoke, the battlefield holding its breath.

Kai moved to Yuna, kneeling beside her, his fingers pressing against her neck to check her pulse. Relief flickered across his face—she was alive, though blood dripped from her head, her eyes fluttering as she stirred. He helped her sit against the streetlight, his hand on her shoulder as he rested his swords resting beside him.

The Whisperkin broke the silence with a chilling hiss. "I warned you not to touch that girl, or someone might be mad, didn't I?" Its faceless head tilted, its voice dripping with amusement, as if savoring the chaos. "You've changed in such a short time, Zane. I almost didn't recognize your presence. How was your vacation?" it taunted, its words slithering through the air.

The Titnice leaped down from the rooftop, landing silently. It sensed the shift—Zane's presence demanded its involvement, a threat it couldn't ignore. Its childlike frame moved with eerie grace, claws flexing, ready to strike.

Kenshi, struggling to stand, leaned on his katana, blood dripping from his torn coat. His amber eyes flicked to Zane, pain and suspicion warring in his gaze. "Zane? He's the one Ariel asked us to help," he muttered, his voice hoarse, his grip tightening on the hilt.

Kai shot a glance at Kenshi, helping Yuna steady herself, her bloodied hand clutching his arm. "Ariel didn't say anything about her brother being a ruthless monster," he growled, his voice low, eyes narrowing at Zane's cold, unyielding stance.

Ariel's voice, faint and trembling, cut through the tension. "Big brother… I have a skill… that can bring me back even if I…" Her words trailed off, her body growing cold in Zane's arms. He froze, his eyes widening as he looked down, her blue eyes now closed, her face pale and still. Gently, he laid her against a nearby building's shattered wall, his hands trembling as he checked her pulse. Nothing. He pressed again, harder, but her chest didn't rise. She wasn't breathing. His world shattered, the ground seeming to fall away beneath him. The only reason he'd endured the brutal training under Instructor Marius and the Master, the only reason he'd gambled everything to grow stronger, was to protect Ariel. To prevent this. Now, she was gone. What was left? Why breathe another moment? His failure to save the one person who mattered most consumed him, a hatred for his own existence burning in his chest. He vowed to end himself—but not yet. First, he'd destroy the Geminis who did this, every last one. Then the humans who stood by, complicit in their inaction. And finally, Blake Walker, the architect of this nightmare.

Zane's hand twitched, summoning Ruinblaze. His white hair fell over his face, his voice low, a chilling promise that froze the battlefield. "My sister's screams pierced my soul as I approached. I won't ask who did this. Being here when she was attacked makes you guilty. Gemini or human, I sentence every one of you to death."

Zane stood over Ariel's lifeless body, his white hair falling over his tear-streaked face, his piercing eyes hollow with grief. He held Ruinblaze, its red runes glowing ominously. The Dark Seraph's headless corpse lay nearby, ichor pooling beneath it, while Yuna slumped against a bent streetlight, blood dripping from her temple, her breathing shallow. Kai stood protectively in front of her with his twin swords raised. Valmer gripped his rosary, his eyes wary, while Kenshi leaned on his katana, blood seeping through his torn coat, his amber eyes fixed on Zane.

Celine, crouched behind a crumbled wall, stared at the white-haired figure, her eyes wide with shock. 'It's Zane? He looks… different, what happened to him?' she thought, barely recognizing the hardened, slightly muscular man who had once been Ariel's brother. His Zoic training had transformed him, his presence radiating a lethal intensity.

Zane moved toward the Mistibeast, each step deliberate, boots crunching on gravel, tears dripping down his cheeks. The S+ Gemini swirled, its misty form flickering, claws reshaping into a jagged lance. Zane raised Ruinblaze, aiming for its neck, and slashed—only to cut through air as the Mistibeast dissolved. He swung again, the blade hissing, but met nothing. 'A creature of mist. Still, it'll have to solidify at some point,' he thought, his face twisting in feigned frustration. He turned his back, shoulders slumping, baiting the Gemini. The Mistibeast seized the moment, materializing, its lance thrusting toward the prey who dared turn its back. Zane spun, Ruinblaze flashing, and cleaved the Gemini in half with a single stroke. Its misty form split, collapsing into a smoldering heap, unable to reform.

Zane's voice cut through the silence, soft but chilling, his eyes not on the Whisperkin. "You weren't supposed to touch her. That was the deal." The lean, dark Gemini swayed, its faceless head tilting. "But it doesn't matter anymore. When we first met, I was helpless before you," Zane continued, his tone steady despite the tears. "Now I'll make you feel the same." He reached down, unfastening the heavy weights strapped to his wrists and ankles, designed to adjust to Earth's gravity after his Zoic training. They hit the ground with a thunderous crash, leaving craters in the concrete, dust billowing around them. Kai's jaw dropped, Valmer's hand tightened on his rosary, and Kenshi's eyes narrowed at the sheer force.

The Titnice, its snow-white body taut, black eyes glinting, decided Zane's arrogance had gone far enough. It leaped forward, claws extended, aiming a strike at his heart. But Zane vanished, moving faster than sight, the attack hitting empty air. The Titnice landed, its childlike form tense, scanning for him. Zane reappeared behind it, Ruinblaze arcing toward its head. The Titnice ducked, twisting with unnatural speed, and launched a kick at Zane's neck, the impact shaking the ground. Zane didn't flinch, his body unmoved, as if rooted to the earth. His eyes were distant, lost in grief, tears streaming as he stared past the Titnice, his mind consumed by Ariel's cold, lifeless form. The only reason he'd endured Zoic's hellish training, the only reason he'd faced Instructor Marius and the Master, was to protect her—and he'd failed.

Kenshi, struggling to stand, gripped his katana, his amber eyes locked on Ruinblaze's silver blade, its red runes pulsing. 'That weapon's dangerous, I can feel it,' he thought, his coat flapping as he steadied himself, blood dripping from his wounds. Kai helped Yuna sit up, her eyes fluttering open, blood matting her black crop top. "Stay with me," he muttered, his swords ready, his gaze flicking between Zane and the Titnice. Valmer stepped forward, rosary beads clinking, his voice low. "He's not one of us… but he's no Gemini either, a difficult situation indeed."

For a moment, Valmer could relate. When he lost the Holy Father, he felt like his world was broken down. He probably would've done worse if someone had killed him instead.

### Author Note

Hey awesome readers of "Error 001: Mercy not Found"! Thanks for rocking Chapter 55 with me! If you're vibing with Zane's fury and Ariel's story, drop some powerstones to boost our rank and leave a review to let me know what's hitting hard or what you'd love to see next. Let's climb the charts together—your support fuels the chaos! 🔥 Much respect to y'all.