The culprit

The young boy spent all night researching everything he could about Dr. Tsukino. In both the information he obtained from his teacher and the information he was able to gather during his stay in the Asu building, the same name always appeared.

Doctor Tsukino. Head of the laboratory of Asu Industries. He lives in an apartment near the Asu building with his wife and two minor children. He stays late at work and arrives home after midnight.

Ano had previously investigated this doctor and scientist. However, he could not get the evidence he needed to conclude absolutely nothing. Asu's emails and private information were virtually impossible to obtain. But those emails and messages he saw fit perfectly with several events.

According to these data, Hana was not the only victim of what they call field experiments. [Frey Substance]? There is a lot of information I’m missing!! But I know exactly where I should look now!!

In those emails, there was evidence that Dr. Tsukino was taking this liquid called [Frey Substance] from Asu's laboratories and forcing people in the suburbs to drink it. That was enough to get the young inventor going. As a purple plasma aura rose slightly from his back and he fixed his cold gaze on the photo of the doctor in front of him, the young boy proclaimed to himself.

Dr. Tsukino, tomorrow will be your last day on earth. Enjoy it.

****

The next morning, Ano returned to his master's workshop to say goodbye. The next time they would meet would be after carrying out his revenge.

"Master, I'm going to put an end to Hana's killer's life tomorrow night."

"I see, so that was it... That's your final decision."

Akira became sad. He looked at his young apprentice with some disappointment. He knew he couldn't berate Ano's resolve. He had been fighting his demons all by himself for almost two years. Snatching the life of a probable murderer was nothing compared to all the innocent lives that were lost unjustly every day.

"Mi-kun. I was reflecting on what we talked about yesterday. I'm sorry to be so useless with my advice. With all I've been through, I'm unable to explain myself properly." Said the ever-smiling Akira.

"Don't worry, master. I understood what you meant."

There was a short silence as the two inventors talked while leaning against the outside wall of Akira's workshop. Then the master broke the silence.

"Yesterday while we were packing up the workshop, you made a strange comment. What did you mean by hearing voices?"

Ano hesitated for a moment, looked up at the sky, and answered.

"The day Hana died, no, probably right around the time Hana died, I heard a voice calling out to me for help. It sounded like the same voice Hana had when we were little."

The teacher was surprised. However, his expression did not change. His whole body expressed calm and tranquility.

"I've heard about that. Some rumors say it might be due to something related to the Net Share. But I've been researching hundreds of things for years, and I, along with many other experts, agree that it's impossible. It is probably something of human nature. In the old days, when there were religions that believed in a supreme being, they talked about how we were God's masterpiece. How our souls and minds were connected to the people we loved without the use of technology. These are obviously unsubstantiated myths. But now it seems to me the most possible option for what happened to you."

The boy said nothing, and the teacher let out a small laugh as his face changed to a more cheerful and relaxed one.

"For a moment there, I thought you were hearing evil voices in your head or something similar. Hahaha."

"Yeah..."

Ano peeled himself off the wall, put his hands inside of his jacket pockets, and started walking to leave. Before leaving, the boy stopped and asked one last thing to his master.

"Master." He said as he looked at the large metropolis in the distance.

"Tell me, Mi-kun."

"Do you think I can save this world without destroying it?"

The master appraised everything they had talked about in these last 2 days. And in an attempt to calm his apprentice's heart, he answered him the best way he could.

"Does the end justify the means? Who knows. Does the good of the many justify the evil of the few? Maybe. As long as we live in this world, no matter if you are human or cyborg, things will not get better. Only someone who truly seeks change will succeed in saving this dying star."

"I cannot forgive those who took Hana's life."

"Hana-chan was a very smart girl. I'm sure she made the right decision. Even if I can't understand now the reason why she did it. Everything she did was for the sake of her friends."

The young boy stepped forward again.

"The day before she died, we argued. I told her I didn't need her to protect me anymore. Those were the last words I said to Hana. Maybe that pushed her to take her own life."

"Mi-kun, I can assure you that Hana wasn't angry with you because of that. That day at school, she said she was looking forward to seeing you again. She was a very honest girl. She must have been forced to make a decision."

"Then I have no choice but to end Dr. Tsukino's life."

The young boy was walking down the stairs to leave when Akira stopped him with a few last words before he lost sight of him.

"Listen Mi-kun. I understand how you feel. When I was young, something similar happened to me. Feelings of rage, anger, pain, sadness, and revenge tormented me every night. Once I carried out my revenge, everything stayed the same. I didn't feel better, I couldn't get back what I lost, and more importantly, I was still empty inside. But that changed when I found you."

Ano remained silent, listening.

"I'm not one to tell you to forget about your revenge. That would be hypocritical of me. I can only tell you that once you're done with this, restart your life and fill that emptiness in your heart again."

The master is right. Once I’m done with the culprit of Hana's death, I should stop thinking about revenge.

"Friends will help you fill that hole in your heart. You must never forget Hana-chan, but you must live the life Hana-chan wished you to have. I know a genius like you doesn't like to be with people. Hahaha... But you could at least try." Said the teacher wistfully. "In the meantime, you can count on me."

The talk ended, the young inventor disappeared from his master's sight and headed for the garage where he left his motorcycle.

"Mi-kun. Someday you'll find people you can trust who you'll call your family." Akira said, once his disciple left.

****

Ano was ready to leave for his apartment in Asu. However, as he was about to start his motorcycle, he heard some animal howls very close to his position.

*Auuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh*

"Fucking dog!!! This will teach you not to bite people's hands!!!"

Some stragglers, who were probably drugged, were kicking a poor stray dog, which apparently would have bitten their hand. However, no tooth marks were noticeable on their hands.

"Dude!!! Pass me the razor! Let's finish this shit!"

As those two rotten apples beat the helpless animal and planned to end its life, Ano silently approached and stood behind a column in the parking lot. He drew his folding pistol and pointed it at them.

"You have 10 seconds to leave. "Said the young boy.

After giving the poor animal one last kick, one of them replied.

"And who are you? Come out of there so we can see your face!"

*BANG*

The boy fired without hesitation. The bullet hit the hand of one of the subjects, making him fall to the ground while screaming in pain.

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!"

"The dog bit you and I pierced your hand. Beat the shit out of me if you dare. SCUM!!!"

After urinating on himself, the guy got up from the ground and ran away together with his cowardly companion.

Ano turned around and intended to get on his way to finally returning to his apartment at Asu Industries. However, someone was following him.

"Don't follow me."

"Woof."

The dog Ano had saved was following him. It was a stray dog, scrawny with several bones marked on its body due to malnutrition. But first and foremost, she knew that the young inventor had saved her from death.

"I have no food for you."

"WOOF, WOOF, WOOF."

The young boy stared at that mutt. He pulled out his PDA and gave it a quick body scan.

*Breed: Siverian Husky*

Gender: *Female*

*Dewormed*

*No known diseases*

*Critical malnutrition levels*

*Mental attitude: Peaceful*

"Follow me."

"AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHH." She howled happily.

The boy hopped on his bike and set a course for his warehouse while the dog followed as fast as she could. Once they arrived, the young boy fed her some synthetic chicken he had in storage and a couple of [V-pills] to help with her malnutrition.

"Alright, dog. I'll leave food and water here ready for you to come and eat. To get in and out, just come near this door here, and thanks to the collar I have put on you, the door will open only if there is no one around you. Did you understand?"

The dog approached the door. Once it was opened, she went back to Ano and sat down.

"Woof!!!"

She must have some chip implanted in her brain that makes her understand human language. I saw files on this type of technology in Asu's files. Apparently, they were all failed experiments and were left to fend for themselves in the suburbs....

The young boy had been right. That mutt was abandoned after being used in secret experiments to develop dogs capable of understanding and talking to humans. Several months later, Ano would unveil the full story of what had really happened to that dog.

"All right, dog. Then I'm off."

"WOOF WOOF WOOF, AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHH!!!"

"What's wrong with you, dog?"

*GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR* growled the dog.

"You don't like being called dog?"

"Woof!!!" She said as she waved his tail.

"Do you want me to name you? So, how about Ulf?"

"AUUUUUUUUUUUUH." She howled contentedly.

"Good. Ulf, I have to go out for a while. You have food for one week. I'll be back in 7 days and bring you more food."

"Auuuuuuuuuhh." She said goodbye.

The young boy walked off, leaving his new friend, Ulf, behind. Although he was thinking about ending a person's life, that dog was one of the few creatures in that world that approached him honestly, even though his body had been emanating murderous energies constantly for almost 2 years now. Not even Ano's cold gaze frightened that brave dog.

This world does not need humans. I will wipe out each and every one of the rotten apples that inhabit this world and purify it with fire.

After a short day of rest, Ano returned to his apartment at Asu headquarters. Tomorrow would be the day his revenge would come to an end.

****

The next day, the young boy had a normal day. Meetings, projects, paperwork... no big deal. In the afternoon, he made all the preparations. He took his folding pistol, his PDA to hack the security systems, some plastic ties, and a small special case.

It was already past 10:00 in the evening. Before entering his target's apartment complex, he made sure to take complete control over the cameras throughout the building. Moments later, the young boy was changing clothes, thanks to his enhanced textile hologram, on the stairs of the apartment complex. He was wearing a long black trench coat with metallic details.

The boy gained access to the closed-circuit cameras in Dr. Tsukino's apartment. Once he had made sure his family had gone to sleep, the young boy quietly burst in minutes before his target was due to return home after a long day of research.

You have a good house Dr. Tsukino. I’m sorry for your family, but you are not making it past this night!!

The door opened slowly. At last, his target had arrived. The doctor entered quietly, as he always did so as not to wake his wife and 2 children. He took off his shoes, and as he passed the threshold of the foyer, Ano greeted the doctor by sticking his pistol in his old back.

"Good evening. If you make any noise, I'll kill you."