"Echoes of Ruin: The Enigma of 001"
*Brooom!!! Stop!!!
The armored military vehicle screeched to a halt before the desolate ruins of a once-grand kingdom. Structures lay in shambles, on the brink of collapse.
Four armed figures emerged from the vehicle: two women and two men.
"Captain Joein Martasio of Unit-86, Patrol Team-1, reporting to Eagle," announced the captain. "We've reached the target and will now begin our investigation of the ruined kingdom."
Joe a blondie guy with a muscular body press the communication device on his left ear sending a report to the other side.
"Roger, May the lady of luck be with you." The static voice came from another side of the communication device said to his fellow comrades.
After preparing their equipment, they venture into the ruined kingdom, spending a full four hours there. With the aid of their drones, they expedite the exploration, covering the entire upper surface of the kingdom more efficiently than if they were on foot.
They meticulously document their findings, write reports, review videos, and so forth. However, despite their thorough efforts, there remains one area they have yet to explore: the center of the kingdom and its underground passages. Regrettably, the report notes that the passage collapsed due to explosions, hindering further investigation.
As they cautiously approach the center of the kingdom, their movements halt as they spot a familiar figure amidst the ruins: a child. Their surprise peaks as they realize the child is standing alone, surrounded by the corpses of UM, drenched in green, foul-smelling blood.
"Eagle, this is 'Blo.' We have visual confirmation of a child in the center of the kingdom, standing amidst UM carcasses," Joe swiftly communicates to his superior.
The sight is unnerving. How could a child have single-handedly taken down so many UM? Or perhaps the child was merely covered in their blood by chance. Joe pushes aside these thoughts, awaiting orders from his superior.
Joe, receiving no response from Eagle, takes the initiative and begins to advance towards the child, who remains oblivious to their presence, staring in the opposite direction.
"Unit-86, have your gun at the ready. If the child makes any suspicious movements, drop and engage," Joe commands, preparing for any potential threat as they approach the child.
"Hey, kid, what are you doing in a dangerous place like this?" Joe questions the child from behind.
Turning, the child's gaze meets Joe's, but he tilts his head to the right, seemingly unable to comprehend the situation with the four individuals before him.
The child appears unharmed, devoid of any scratches or bite marks from UM, resembling a homeless child covered in dirty mud—though in this case, the thick liquid coating him is UM blood.
"Hey, kid, what's your name?" the woman suddenly approaches the captain and the child, inquiring about his name out of the blue. As she speaks, she begins to pull out a face towel to wipe the thick blood from the child's face.
"My name is Saria Martasio, and I'm the wife of this scary-looking guy," the woman known as "Fox" reveals, indicating Joe, also known as "Blo." Like her husband, she has blonde hair, pale blue eyes, and exudes an energetic vibe.
"That startled you?" she asks with a grin, as she waits for a response from the child.
"My codename... 001," the child responds to Saria, who smiles warmly, eagerly awaiting to hear the child's real name.
Upon hearing the child's response, Saria's bright smile falters slightly, surprised by the unconventional nature of the name. It's not the kind of name one would expect for a child—it sounds more like a designation for an experimental subject.
Nevertheless, Saria maintains her smile and proceeds to pull 001 towards the fountain in the middle of the kingdom where they are currently situated. Despite any reservations, 001 allows the strange woman to lead him into the fountain.
"I'll wash the kid first," Saria says softly to Joe and the others.
While Saria attends to cleaning the dirty child in the fountain, Joe contacts Eagle to report their findings and informs them that they will leave the location as soon as they finish preparing their equipment.
***
Joe drives the vehicle with Saria seated on his right and 001 resting on her lap. Despite the vehicle being small for five people, Saria decides it's best for 001 to sit on her lap, given his young age, approximately six years old.
As they traverse the rocky and grassy terrain on their way back to base, Joe remains focused on the road ahead, while the two occupants in the back keep watch, scanning their surroundings for any potential threats. Meanwhile, Saria multitasks, taking care of the child and engaging him in conversation to keep him calm during the journey.
"Um... 001, do you know what happened to your home? Your parents, Mama or Papa?" Saria gently inquires.
"...everyone... died because of the UM..." 001 faintly responds to Saria's question.
Saria's heart sinks upon hearing this confirmation of a UM attack. How did this child manage to survive in such a perilous environment, let alone be found in the heart of the kingdom?
Driven by curiosity and concern, Saria doesn't hesitate to ask 001 how he managed to survive and why he was covered in the green blood of the UM. Did he "kill" them? But how could a child with such a frail body manage to take down so many UM on his own?
Saria's Expression Change from a soft and fluffy woman into a Serious and firm. She look at 001 and 001 look back to Saria. They stared for a 5 Seconds then Saria open her mouth and let out her voice asking the kid a serious question.
"001, How did you survive in that Place and why are you covered with so much blood of UM? Did you killed them?" Saria asked with a firm voice and the other three, Joe was surprised on Saria's sudden question to a kid but Joe himself wanted to know too how does a Frail kid survive that place no food no weapons nor any adults around him and also that place were...
Saria's expression shifts from soft and gentle to serious and determined. She locks eyes with 001, and they share a tense silence for several seconds before Saria speaks up, her voice firm and unwavering.
"001, how did you survive in that place, and why are you covered in so much UM blood? Did you kill them?" Saria's question hangs in the air, the weight of it palpable. Joe and the others are surprised by Saria's directness, but they too are eager to understand how a frail child could endure such a dangerous environment, especially considering that the place was destroyed by UM invasion three years ago.
With the question posed, the four of them fall silent, waiting for 001's response. After a moment, 001 opens his mouth and delivers a chilling answer.
"I killed them, Nonstop And ate."