IT COMES WITH A COST TO SAVE THE WORLD
Barbra tends to Adam in the bathtub, washing him, while he gazes at his own reflection in the water. Adam then utters a single word, "Who." Barbra gently reminds him of his identity, stressing that everyone eagerly awaits his recovery so he can save them all. Adam remains silent, fixated on the water. After a while, Barbra carefully guides him to bed, where he drifts into sleep.
Later, Barbra reflects on Adam's progress and demeanor in her journal. She notes his limited emotional expression and his limited communication in brief phrases. She also notes that Adam will only fight if there's a threat against him, his family, or friends. But in combat Adam can only fight under a minute due to his minimal magical energy within his body.
Ceasing her journal entry, Barbra flips through additional notes, discovering that Adam is her longest, most challenging, and most enigmatic patient to date. Suddenly, Adam's chest starts to illuminate. Setting her journal aside, Barbra glances at herself in the mirror, observing the subtle signs of aging, particularly a bit of sagging in her facial skin. Inwardly, she resolves that her sole purpose now is to rescue Adam from his internal struggles, ensuring he can ultimately save the world from it's end. Despite her lack of comprehension about the intricacies of the magical healing process within Adam, Barbra is determined to persevere in her efforts to mend him. Her soul then separates from her body, entering Adam's radiant chest. Taking on the form of her own body, her soul descends onto the grasslands near the gleaming tree.
Barbra recovers her memories within this dimension and remembers Adam's magical healing progress, recognizing this realm as the sole repository of such recollections. Her gaze ascends to the tree, and Gand descends, urging her to persist with the healing. A magical heart materializes in the midst of the grassy expanse. Internally, Barbra reflects on Gand, a God, disclosing that most of Adam's soul has been separated from his physical form to prevent him to killing himself. Barbra's mission is to mend Adam's soul by purifying his emotions, having already cleansed two: insanity and despair.
Mentally preparing herself, Barbra steps into the magical heart and awakens on a beach at night with the tidal waves crashing onto her feet. Barbra rises to find herself facing an expansive sea, and in the distance, she recognizes the echoes of Adam's cries. Scanning the beach, she identifies the source of the cries directed towards the sea. With determination, Barbra vocalizes her intent to reach Adam and begins swimming into the vast sea.
After hours of swimming, Barbra pauses to rest, floating in the midst of the sea. The cries of Adam, now closer, motivate her to press on despite exhaustion. Voicing her resolve amid huffs and puffs, Barbra resumes swimming toward the source of Adam's cries. As hours turn into days, the sea's tidal waves intensify, impeding Barbra's progress and pushing her back. Undeterred, she confronts the relentless tide, succumbing to drowning multiple times. Yet, each time, Gand's power revives her, enabling Barbra to resume her quest against the formidable current.
In a cycle of struggle, Barbra repeatedly faces the depths of the sea, succumbing to its embrace, only to be revived again. Amidst countless attempts, she sinks into the ocean, gazing upward and contemplating when and how she will ever reach Adam. Barbra then gazes at the night sky, witnessing its transformation from black to white, signaling the shift from night to day the first time in this realm and that there is no sun. Nearby, a small boat approaches, propelled by mysterious means. Intrigued, Barbra swims towards the boat, and a hand extends beneath the water, reaching out to her. She seizes the offered hand and is pulled aboard, expelling copious amounts of water as she coughs.
As Barbra recovers, she turns to find a woman in white attire adorned with a grey wolf mask seated across from her. Curious, Barbra inquires about the identity of the masked figure. The masked woman reveals that, like Barbra, she is here to aid Adam. Expressing surprise, Barbra speculates that perhaps Gand dispatched another healer due to her prolonged efforts. Contrarily, the masked woman discloses that she arrived independently, drawn by Adam's call for help.
Baffled by the girl's ability to traverse dimensions unaided, Barbra seeks an explanation. The masked woman clarifies that she does not have the time to explain herself but that she will only assist Barbra under the condition that she keeps their encounter confidential from Gand. Barbra, eager to save Adam, readily agrees, saying that she'll do whatever it takes as long as it'll speed up Adam's healing progress, prompting a grateful smile from the mask-wearing ally who thanks Barbra.
They commence pedaling against to the formidable tides. Barbra observes the rapid pace they're maintaining, realizing that their boat is effectively navigating through the powerful currents. Abruptly, a colossal tidal wave, hundreds of feet high, looms in front of them. Barbra instinctively halts her pedaling, momentarily overcome. The masked companion reassures Barbra, urging her not to lose hope, assuring that they will prevail.
Regaining her composure, Barbra and her companion intensify their pedaling efforts, propelling the boat at great speed enveloped in a shroud of grey magic. The boat collides with the massive tidal wave, and beneath the water's surface, Barbra and the masked girl persist in pedaling against the relentless currents. Ultimately, the boat emerges on the other side of the colossal wave, landing as the surrounding waters gradually calm. Barbra, coughing up water, is alerted to Adam's cries, now in close proximity.
With a quick glance, Barbra spots Adam suspended above the water, tears streaming down from his eyes and forming the expanse of the sea. Without uttering a word, Barbra leaps into the water, swimming determinedly towards him. She seizes Adam, lifting him up, and as his eyes meet hers, he finds reassurance from Barbra's words. The masked woman on the boat catches Adam's attention, prompting him to cease his tears. Removing her mask, she reveals her face, causing Adam's eyes to glow with calming light. However, a radiant glow obscures her features from Barbra's view, causing her to unable to see who she is.
Suddenly, the woman and the boat vanish, and the white sky reverts to night. Adam's body then explodes into a beautiful blue dust, and the water surrounding Barbra dissipates as she descends onto the grassy terrain. Turning, she witnesses the radiant blue dust merging with the magical heart. Lying on the grass, Barbra expresses relief at finally achieving success. Gand, appearing as a ball of light, approaches Barbra and inquires how she managed to save this version of Adam, as he was unable to witness the events. Barbra confesses her lack of understanding, stating that all she knows is that she was able to reach Adam. Gand responds by stating that whatever the method was, as long as it resulted in Adam's salvation, he doesn't mind or concern himself with the details.
Gand then remarks that they are nearing the completion of Adam's full recovery, with just two more emotions for Barbra to purify. Barbra, in response, asserts the importance of taking it one step at a time, expressing confidence that they will eventually achieve the complete salvation of Adam.
As Barbra's soul exits the dimension and reunites with her body in the waking world, she finds Adam gazing at her. However, their attention is diverted by the town's alert. Hastening to the window, they witness the town gates opening, and three buses roll in. Numerous people disembark, with Mikey and Ezzy emerging from one bus. Mai warmly embraces Ezzy, while Mikey hugs Michael. At the rear of one bus, Stella and Kiren transport Agustin on a stretcher, swiftly heading inside Robo Mall.
Upon reaching Barbra's room, Stella queries if Barbra can offer any assistance for Agustin. Barbra assures them that she'll exert her utmost effort to assist Agustin. Placing her hand on Agustin's forehead, a radiant glow emanates. Closing her eyes, Barbra delves into Agustin's body, utilizing her magical abilities for a thorough scan. After a brief moment, she steps back, eyes wide with astonishment, revealing her discovery. Barbra discloses that Agustin has been injected with a distinctive drug, a blend of magic, science, and an enigmatic element beyond her comprehension. This compound has not only unlocked Agustin's latent magical potential but has also spawned a monster within his heart.
Stella suggests the need to extract this monster from Agustin's heart. Barbra, however, promptly dismisses the idea, asserting that removing the monster would result in Agustin's death. She explains that the monster has become an integral part of him, and any attempt to separate the two would lead to his death. Stella, visibly distressed, tightly grips Agustin's hand and inquires if there's an alternative way to save him. Barbra responds, indicating that Agustin's resistance against the inner monster is contingent on his willpower. However, she suggests that if the originator of the monster were to perish, it would release many of its magical connections, making it more manageable for Agustin to resist and control it. Tears well up in Stella's eyes, and she solemnly pledges to Agustin that she'll take the life of the person responsible for his predicament.
Barbra proposes a temporary solution in the interim – inducing a coma to prevent Agustin from going out of control when awake. Stella assents, and Barbra, using her magical abilities, envelops Agustin in a deep slumber. After stepping outside Robo Mall, Stella lights a cigarette. Ezzy approaches, offering words of reassurance, asserting their capability to triumph in the ongoing war with the Riders. Stella extinguishes her cigarette and declares her intent to eliminate Agustin's tormentor. Ezzy, aligning their goals, suggests she be chosen as the leader instead of Mai to hasten the resolution of the war. Stella, after contemplation, concedes, albeit with a hint of reservation.
Meanwhile, at the Powerhouse, the scene unfolds with Michael leisurely drinking a bottle of blood, observed by Mikey and Kiren. Mikey reflects on Kiren's tales about Michael, acknowledging the truth that his twin brother has indeed transformed into a half-zombie. Michael interjects, contending that being a half-zombie isn't all that bad. He elaborates, mentioning that the only drawback is the diminished satisfaction from regular food, as blood serves as the primary source for healing and replenishing his energy. As sparks of lightning emanate from his fingers, Mikey expresses his astonishment at witnessing Michael emerge from his shell.
Mikey goes on to share his disbelief, reminiscing about Michael's pre-apocalyptic behavior. He recounts how Michael used to confine himself within his apartment, avoiding social interactions and shying away from taking significant risks. Mikey notes the unexpected transformation, indicating that Michael had been unwilling to step out of his comfort zone. In response, Michael nods, acknowledging his past hesitations and expressing that, even today, he grapples with regrets stemming from certain decisions. He emphasizes the necessity of facing those regrets head-on and dealing with them like a man.
After several days of preparation, Frank and Mai complete their mission arrangements to embark on the quest to locate Duke. Driving in an armored van, they traverse through the town, bidding farewell to passing townsfolk. As they exit through the front gates, Ezzy and Stella observe. Ezzy, with determination, affixes a poster to a wall featuring her image and the words "Time to win this war."
Stella proceeds to the police station, where her men warmly welcome her. One of them informs her about the capture riders' steadfast silence, attesting to their loyalty to the Riders. Stella, wearing a confident smile, mentions a forthcoming ally who might alter their perspective. Mikey makes his entrance, greeted with respectful bows from everyone. Mikey and Stella enter the interrogation room, where two adults and a young boy with a scar on his face await. The adults are visibly shocked to see Mikey. Stella introduces Mikey, revealing the young boy as Jacade(13). Mikey notices the scar on Jacade's face, remarking that he hadn't seen this scar on Jacade's face on the ship. Jacade dismisses it as a battle scar. The two adults, curious, inquire about Mikey's presence in Old Berry Town.
Mikey ignores them and declares that the Rider System is now defunct, obliterated by Volk and his son Henry, eradicating any remnants of the face machine. He further informs them that numerous survivors from the system now inhabit Old Berry Town. The revelation takes the two adults by surprise. Mikey goes on to disclose that the two men and Jacade were part of Jarvis's scouting team, remaining loyal to him. Their roles in the Rider scouting team involved looting and capturing others for both personal gain and entertainment. Additionally, he mentions that Jacade is part of Jarvis's kid club.
Jacade asserts that while the face machine played a significant role in the system, the Rider family's existence ensures the system's perpetual existence, claiming that Jarvis will return for them. Mikey disagrees, explaining that without the face machine, Jarvis has lost interest in his scouting team, and Volk has his own agenda. Therefore, aligning with Old Berry Town is the most prudent choice for survival in this post-apocalyptic world. This infuriates Jacade, who states his allegiance to the Rider system, given that he was born into it. The two adult riders, however, express a different perspective, opting to join Old Berry Town. Stella guides them to another room where the adults discloses all the scouting team's secrets to her.
Mikey turns to Jacade, questioning why the Riders, with Jacade's intricate knowledge of their operations, arrived on the island during the apocalypse. Jacade, grappling with the inquiry, touches the scar on his face and reveals that the Riders came to the island because of Volk. Delving further into the details, Jacade discloses information that leaves Mikey in a state of shock.
Later that day, Frank maneuvers the armored van along a dirt road through the forest. Suddenly, he hits the brakes as they come across a chilling scene — numerous wooden arrows piercing through the heads of countless deceased zombies scattered throughout the woods. Mai, intrigued, steps out of the van and utilizes her hand, as many camera bugs with camera lens comes out of her sleeves , to capture footage of the macabre display. As the bugs films the grim sight, Mai ponders aloud about who could have orchestrated such a massacre. Frank chimes in, estimating that it would have taken a considerable number of skilled marksmen, considering the sheer volume of around a hundred dead zombies all adorned with wooden arrows.