Light Behind the Eyes

......

A Synth Human? Beings created by KMS, who rose in revolt against the humans...

I thought war didn't exist in this time layer, but it's just that the flames of war aren't spreading as far. The war may appear to be at a stalemate, but in the background and hidden from view, its fire is still smoldering on.

Let's just hope it doesn't end up exploding.

Hm?

What was that?

Someone must've set it on the Synth Human. Whoever's controlling it must be near.

Tsk.

You're looking at the wrong guy, you fool. Your enemy detection leaves a lot to be desired.

You're outta luck.

What a nuisance. At least he's out of the way now.

That was amazing!

Hm?

I saw the whole thing! You completely obliterated that Synth Human without even breakin' a sweat! What weapon do you use? It didn't look like a laser gun...

Let's not talk about my weapon. Let's talk about yours instead. That Search Bit belonged to you, I take it?

Ngh!

......

S-Sorry about that... I never thought you'd get caught up in the crossfire. I was gonna come help but you already went on the offensive. Man, lucky you were there instead o' someone less capable.

You've got some skills. So thanks for that. And allow me to apologize. While I'm at it...

You don't need to apologize. Just clear up that Synth carcass and get lost.

Hey, that was harsh! You a hunter as well?

A hunter?

So you're not? You're such a natural fighter, I figured you must hunt Synth Humans for a livin'.

Nope.

Oh... Kind of a waste of all that skill if you ask me. If you were a hunter, I would've asked you to join me on the job.

Guess you'll have to find someone else.

Yeah, yeah, I get the picture. But can I tell you about this job anyway?

I'm after this Synth Human, you see, and he's strong. Like a monster or somethin'. He's killed other hunters, loads of 'em. I ain't exactly the vengeful type, but I can't just leave him be, can I?

......

This ain't no ordinary Synth Human we're talkin' about here. Everyone who's ever gone against him ended up goin' insane durin' their fight.

What did you just say?

I dunno how he's doin' it. All I know is that everyone who faces him goes all weird.

Some of 'em get paralyzed with fear, some of 'em call out the names of their dead loved ones... And some of 'em start desperately apologizin', over and over again. They all fall victim to him. It just don't make any sense.

You seem to know an awful lot about it. Have you seen him before?

......

Yeah. I used to be part of a team of hunters. But I'm the only one of us left now, thanks to him.

Oh, so you're the sole survivor? Which makes you... One of the few living witnesses with information on this Synth Human. We can't let their deaths be in vain.

W-Wait, you'll help me?!

I will. His abilities concern me.

The power to draw out strong emotions from humans and drive them insane... There were similar experiments on such things where I'm from. I can't imagine they're related, but...

Did you just say "experiments"?!

Never mind that. All that matters is that leaving this guy unchecked could be a real hindrance. Take me to him.

I'm not following entirely... But you'll help me out? Thank you so much!

His hideout is in the Industrial Ruins. Come with me!

This one looks a little different, too.

Y-Yeah...

What is it?

It's just, you're so talented. You'd get real rich as a hunter, you know.

Not interested. I have other things to be doing. Anyway, are you sure you're armed enough? You're looking a little ill-prepared to be marching into an enemy stronghold.

True, I ain't got much on me, what with my search bit gettin' trashed over on Route 99 and all.

Why didn't you arm yourself first? What's the rush?

Well, the longer we leave him, the more chance there is of somebody else fallin' victim to him. I couldn't sit about waitin' for that to happen. Not after he killed so many of my friends. Outta all of 'em, only I survived. And I gotta make it up to them for that.

......

If I don't get him back for what he's done, my dead friends'll never rest in peace. I'm the only one outta all of us to make it out alive. I'm livin' on borrowed time here, and they'll be so mad if I don't give it back.

I see. Are you...

What?

Never mind.

Hm?

He's still alive?

Look at this!

Did you find something?

Yeah. It's sendin' a rescue signal. And also a battle log. It's bein' sent somewhere further in... To our guy, most likely.

Ah...

Now I can finally get my vengeance.

C'mon, let's go!

......

Disgusting.

The further in we go, the more soldiers there are. Seems like a pretty good sign that our guy's up ahead.

......

Hey, aren't you comin'?

Wait. First...

I knew he'd have a spare gun.

It should be suitable for human use. Arm yourself with it.

B-But I don't feel right about usin' an enemy's gun. It weirds me out.

You astound me. Is this battleground really such a walk in the park that you don't even need to loot? Bullets are finite on an enemy battleground, and even blades will blunten over time. Enemy weapons are a vital resource. This may not be a problem for me and my weapon, but it most certainly is a problem for you.

B-But... What do you mean by battleground...

This is taking too long. Keep moving.

That's him! I'm sure of it! He's the one who murdered my friends!

Ah, he certainly does seem different from all the other Synth Humans I've dealt with so far.

...... Thanks for all your help so far. But this is my fight.

I've got a plan. Get behind me.

Oh, you've got a plan, have you?

If you're talking about the bomb, I defused it already.

What?

Come on, I can see the wires wrapped around you. Anyone with half a brain could tell they're for a suicide bomb. My objective here is to gather information on him. It'll make my job a lot harder if he's blown into smithereens.

W-Wait. When did you...

When I gave you the looted gun. I can tamper with a bomb in a matter of seconds if it's one I've seen before.

So you'd already seen through my plan back then?

I had a hunch from the very beginning. Nobody walks into an enemy base that ill-prepared. But more importantly...

Do you take me for a fool?

Eep!

I'm used to being treated like a pawn, but I don't remember ever being given such a menial job before. What am I doing here, escorting a hell- bound tank to the enemy base, with only enough fuel for a one-way trip? You dare drag me all the way here for such a stupid thing? I have half a mind to turn you to ash.

I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to mislead you!

I just... I shouldn't get to live! The reason I'm the only one to survive ain't 'cause I managed to escape!

I got too scared to face him so I ran away before the action started. I abandoned 'em...

......

But the corridor was so long, I heard everything. Right up to their deaths. Without me, their formation was broken. What hope did they have? But I couldn't go back to save 'em.

So you wanted to take him down with you? And come to a draw, so to speak? But there was always a chance that the blast from your bomb wouldn't actually reach him. Which would imply that your aim all along was to just let yourself die in vain.

How else could I ever make it up to them?

I let so many of my friends die! All I can give them is my life...

If you ask me, such an act would be completely meaningless.

What?!

You let your friends die. Did you really think that your own death would somehow make up for that?

Well...

This isn't a question of numbers. Even if there had only been a few of them, it's plain impossible to pay for a life for a life.

All a guilty man can do is carry the burden of his actions with him for the rest of his life.

......

You can never atone for your sin, and so death is simply the easy way out. If you understand that, then take out your gun and fight.

What...

......

What would you know?! You don't know how I suffer!

Ugh!

Huh?

Wh-Why are you all...

I'm sorry! Forgive me! Stop! Don't die! Oh no, why...

So this is the attack I've heard so much about. Ah, I see how he does it. It's simple, but effective.

But it won't work on me.

You're going to spend eternity regretting ever taking me on so lightly.

Gah! Hm? What's goin' on...

So you're awake.

Wh-What about the Synth?!

Did... Did you destroy him?!

Yes. I could hardly believe my ears when you told me there was a Synth Human that could drive its opponents insane.

Turns out he was using a special electro- magnetic wave to stimulate psychological trauma and give his opponents nightmares.

What?!

He can also scan his target's brain to spot the cause of their most significant trauma, then update the nightmare accordingly. But unfortunately for him, I brought him down before he was able to use that function.

Oh. So that's why me and my friends...

Hold on a minute. How did you get over your nightmare? From what I remember of mine, it was absolutely horrific. If you put yourself into that fight, you musta seen somethin' awful, right?

My nightmare is here with me now.

I see it every time I close my eyes. I can never forget, not even for an instant.

Huh?

I've done what I came here to do, so we may as well disband now. That gun should make your escape easy enough. Oh, and you're welcome to take the credit for this.

W-Wait...

......

He said his nightmare is with him all the time. I wonder what it is...

Aha! Here's the data from his brain scan. Watching this should give me an idea of what he saw.

Ahhh?! Wh-What is this?! No, it can't be. I don't believe it. How could this be?!

......

There you are!

You again?

Your nightmare... What was that?!

I've never seen anythin' so horrific! Scorchin' wind, the smell of burnin' flesh, people dyin', flames, those dead bodies...

So you took a peek? Not very polite. For me, that's not a nightmare. It's reality.

No way...

How can you keep it together when you've seen what you've seen?

You really see that whenever you close your eyes?

How can you keep fightin' on when you've been through that hell?

Because I too bear sins that I can never atone for. I don't have the right to choose death.