ZERO: Before the Beginning

The forest was burning.

The fluorescent world dissolved,

consumed by celadon-blue flames.

The memories of fallen sperm,

the shadows of my past,

they were now etched into me—

as emotional weapons.

But it wasn't over yet.

At the heart of the collapsing forest,

a new path revealed itself.

> [Trial of the Eyes – Illusory Forest Cleared]

[Emotion Integration Rate: 94%]

[Access to Corridor of Truth Granted]

I stepped forward slowly.

Beyond the fading trees,

a corridor stretched endlessly.

It was a hall of mirrors.

Every wall, floor, and ceiling reflected me—

but none showed the version I knew.

> [Entering the Corridor of Truth]

[Warning – Visual Distortion / Risk of Ego Disintegration]

The reflections smiled,

cried,

screamed in bloodied agony.

All of them were me.

All of them—

were fragments of the self I had denied.

> "You wanted to survive, didn't you?"

A mirror spoke.

> "Then why are you still clinging to the memories of the dead?"

I said nothing.

A single step forward—

and the shards of mirrored truths

swirled violently around me.

Another reflection mimicked her voice.

> "You let me die.

Now what is it you think you're protecting?"

It was venom.

A blend of past, illusion, and revulsion.

I gripped my emotional weapon.

But here, it felt powerless.

This was not a place to fight enemies—

but to confront myself.

At the end of the corridor,

a single door appeared.

Etched above it—

> "With the tongue of truth, speak yourself."

I stood before the door.

> [Condition Check – Emotional Weapon: Pyroblossom Shard (Evolved)]

[Emotion Seal Companion – Lucarin (Logospeech)]

[Self-Recognition Rate: 80% – Incomplete]

'Still not enough…'

I closed my eyes.

And asked myself once more—

> "Why do you fight?"

"What did you survive for?"

"Who are you?"

Three questions.

Simple—

but impossibly hard.

But this time—

I wouldn't turn away.

> "…I am Zeroback.

A failure. A coward.

Someone who couldn't protect her."

The flame flickered softly.

> "But also—

someone who remembers her,

and refuses to let that memory fade."

At that moment—

The door opened.

> [Truth Recognition 100% Achieved]

[Crystal of Truth Forming…]

Light burst forth.

A crystal rose before me—

not just glass—

but emotion,

confession,

and lie, crystallized.

I reached out and took it.

> [Crystal of Truth Acquired – Eye Seal Formed]

[Ability Unlocked – Emotion-Based Analysis / Enhanced Visual Interpretation]

[Sensory Power Upgraded]

Lucarin stepped beside me.

> "Now you have the eyes to pierce through lies."

I nodded silently.

The Trial of the Eyes was over.

But it hadn't taught me how to see—

it taught me when not to look.

I passed through the door.

Another sense awaited.

And beyond it—

another version of me,

another truth,

was waiting.

---

📕 『Zero: Before the Memory』 – Episode 7: Trial of the Nose – The Scent of Rot, the Aroma of Forgotten Pain

The Crystal of Truth sank into my chest.

And as the Trial of the Eyes ended—

the world crumbled once again.

A stench rose.

At first, I thought it was a hallucination.

But it pierced my nose—

too sharp, too real.

The smell of dried blood.

Rotting meat.

And the stench of memories left to decay.

> [Temple of Senses – Gate 3: Entering the Trial of the Nose]

[Zone: Valley of Emotional Decay / Spatial Shift – Nasal Cavity → Olfactory Core]

[Danger Level: Emotion Infection Class "Red"]

[Warning – Emotional Fragments May Be Directly Attacked]

I instinctively held my breath.

But in this place—

not breathing

meant refusing to feel.

Refusal equals death.

> "Zeroback, didn't you always hate smells?"

The voice was familiar.

Old.

Like a middle school friend mocking me

while I cleaned the sports field.

> "Little lord can't handle anything dirty, huh?"

Back then—

I said nothing.

I wanted to say it was painful.

That I was nauseous.

That I wanted to run.

Now—

I walked through a valley made of that stench.

Below me—

Emotions were rotting.

Regret.

Jealousy.

Malice.

Shame.

And the pain of others I'd ignored.

All decomposing.

Their stench clawed at my brain.

For the first time here—

I felt the urge to vomit.

Not from my mouth—

but from my nose.

> [Emotional Leak Detected – Cognitive Confusion Rising]

[Solution – Inhale Emotion / Condition for Acceptance Met]

"…Haa."

I inhaled.

The stench tore through me.

And then—

emotion pierced my brain.

> "You knew her pain.

But you ignored it."

> "You saw her crying—

and turned away."

> "What you threw away…

is rotting here now."

I raised my head.

Across the valley—

a man stood.

He looked like me.

But his expression was foreign.

He smiled.

Too wide.

Too sharp.

In his hand—

a black plastic bag.

Inside—

Rotting emotions.

> "These are what you threw away.

Smell them.

And if you still think they're worthless—

toss them again."

I stepped forward.

And opened the bag.

Inside—

Juhui's hand.

Rotting.

But unmistakably hers.

The hand that once clutched mine.

The hand that let go.

I smelled it.

It nearly broke my nose.

But—

I smiled.

> "…This hasn't rotted."

His face darkened.

> "What… did you say?"

> "This is memory.

It didn't rot from time.

It rotted because I refused to look at it."

I raised my hand.

Pyroblossom reignited.

This time—

it burned scent.

Celadon-blue fire spread across the valley.

Rotting emotions screamed.

Buried memories resurfaced.

> [Purification Rate: 78%]

[Weapon Adaptation – Olfactory Interpretation Enhanced / Emotion Scent Tracking Enabled]

I stood before the man.

He didn't smile anymore.

> "You… really don't know how emotions rot."

I didn't answer.

I placed my hand on his chest.

> "That's why—

I won't let them rot anymore."

Flames flared.

The Trial of the Nose—

the reeking odor of painful memories—

finally began to fade.