Viper breathed in deeply as she clasped her chest at the familiar grey walls of the lab.

  Calm down… this is an illusion…

  Just an illusion…

  When she looked down, she noticed she was in the grey uniform and the label of 8-33.

  She clicked her tongue as she observed her surroundings.

  I should get the flag and get out of here.

  She began to walk around and saw kids being experimented on until she came across the familiar figure of Sir Rhino.

  She went to him excitedly. Even if it was an illusion, Sir Rhino was one of her mentors that helped her get through the LAB and trained her. “Sir Rhino!”

  Rhino glanced at her and curiously asked, “Do I know you?”

  “W-what?” She paused as she then asked, “You know me. I was your cadet. Sir Hawk and Ms Goldie were my mentors as well.”

  “That’s impossible. Goldie passed away peacefully and Hawk… passed away on a mission.” Rhino sighed, “Look, I’m busy. Keep your nonsense to yourself.” He left her alone.

  She froze, her fingers went cold.

  No way…

  This…

  As she remained in a daze, she heard two screams from voices she could only dream about.

  That’s Jisoo and Seoyong-oppa!

  As she turned and saw the scene switch to a torture room, she paled, her hands trembled as she covered her mouth at the scene before her, “…no…”

  Jisoo and Seoyong were screaming in pain while Dr 8 cackled with her crooked smile.

  “STOP IT!” Viper yelled as her power bursted out and destroyed the room. Her face was trickled with tears.

  Dr 8 now faced her, “8-33! You’re finally here! I’m so glad you’re planning on joining this army! Like your friend and brother.”

  Viper gasped as she saw Jisoo and Seoyong’s zombie-like corpses speaking in cryptic sentences, “Why… did you leave us? Why couldn’t you protect us? Seohwaaaaa!”

  “…”

  It’s an illusion…

  An illusion…

  But…

  She watched the scene before her change once more where Dr 8 lead an army of grey agents with Jisoo and Seoyong at the front. The tremor in her hands stopped, her head tilted to the side as if something snapped.

  Kill her.

  A voice other than hers whispered like a sweet temptation.

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  Right… kill her and everything will be over…

  Soon, her eyes turned blood-shot red and swung the whipsword that appeared in her hands against the army of grey agents.

  ***

  Monkey, who watched the scene change to the army of grey agents, hurriedly ordered, “Stop the illusion! NOW! She’s going berserk!”

  Junkie realised what he meant as he stopped the illusion. But, Viper continued to rampage, wailing her heart out and destroying the hall.

  Monkey cursed as he jumped down and activated his Wukong Hidden Stage to stop her, “Viper!” He blocked her attacks with his lightning as he tried to get closer to her, “SEOHWA!”

  ***

  Seohwa couldn’t see what was happening clearly as her chest was stuffy. No matter how many agents she killed, she couldn’t get to the main person who caused her deepest grief.

  That’s right… kill her…

  The one who caused all this…

  Let your rage be the source of your power…

  The soft voice continued to whisper in Seohwa’s ear, fueling her rage as she continued to expend her energy.

  “SEOHWA! SNAP OUT OF IT!” Jiho’s golden hair appeared before her eyes as he clasped her wrists and hugged her.

  Seohwa flinched as she felt his warmth. She reached her hand up to his back. Her power diminished as her knees weakened.

  Jiho held her up firmly as he asked with a trembling voice, “Seohwa. Seohwa? Are you…?”

  “…Jiho?”

  “I’m here… I’m here…” Jiho breathed a sigh of relief as he leaned his forehead against hers, “I got you…so, just rest for now… We’ll talk later.”

  With his words, Seohwa closed her heavy eyes as she exhaled weakly in his arms.

  ***

  After placing Viper down her bed, Monkey and Junkie went down to the living room as Crane asked, “How is she?”

  “She is stable now.” Junkie breathed a sigh of relief. He noticed Monkey looking down as he patted his head, “Ya did good noticing it early.”

  Monkey gritted his teeth, “Still,I—!”

  “Monkey, you did good. You kept her alive.” Bear stuffed a munchie in his mouth.

  Tigress held her trembling hands as she vividly recalled the disastrous power Viper revealed. She whispered, “To think we would be useless against her Hidden Stage.”

  “…” No one commented further.

  Junkie hummed, “I think y’all need to loosen up more.”

  Crane frowned, “This isn’t time for your jokes, Junkie. Our friend could have died and we couldn’t help her!”

  “That’s where ya’re wrong, lassie.” Junkie rebutted, “She didn’t die and ya did help her.”

  Mantis had baggy eyes as he incredulously asked, “What do you mean? We couldn’t stop her, only Monkey could.”

  Junkie chuckled, “Ya brats are fools. She wouldn’t have stopped if she didn’t care about any of ya. But she did. Ya’re a good team and a good family. Think about that.”

  He whistled out, “I’m gonna go meet an old friend of mine who is a doctor. Take care of her while I’m gone.”

  “…”

  Bear sighed, “Let’s split up for now and rest. You all look terrible.”

  Mantis shook his head, “I’ll go to Viper and heal her as much as I can.”

  “Please do.” Monkey pleaded as he sat on the couch with his hands covering his face. Mantis headed up the stairs to heal Viper,

  Crane observed Monkey before sitting next to him and patted his back.

  “You’re not going to call me pathetic?” Monkey whispered.

  “For what? For protecting Viper’s life?” Crane huffed, “You did the best you could.”

  “…” Monkey’s voice trembled, “I could’ve lost her.”

  “All of us could.” Crane looked down as she bit her lips.

  Bear glanced at Tigress who was still trembling as he fed her a munchie before he placed his hand on the back of her head, “It’s ok. Viper is strong. She’ll make it.”

  Tigress chuckled at his awkward consoling as she shook her head, “That’s not it… for the first time ever, I looked at Viper like a monster… you don’t think of that about family… I… was afraid of her power but was also afraid of losing her.”

  Bear hugged her as she sniffled into his embrace. Bear gently patted the back of her head, “All we have to do is get stronger.”

  “How? We can’t do that unless we awaken the Hidden Stage like Monkey.”

  “One can’t, normally.” Bear pulled back as he looked into her eyes while he wiped her tears gently, “But, as a team, we can. If we work as a team, I’m sure we, as a team, could stop her without needing to awaken the Hidden Stage.”

  “…” Tigress looked into his sincere purple eyes that mirrored her reflection as she nodded, cheering up, “You’re right. As a team, we can. Thank you, Taeseok.”

  Bear smiled mischievously to change the mood, “Then, can I have 8 servings of coconut curry tonight?”

  “No, you’ll get indigestion. I’ll only do 5 max.”

  Bear sulked, “Ok.”

  ***

  Meanwhile, upstairs…

  Mantis watched Viper having a cold sweat as he wiped it off with a warm towel.

  As she slept, Viper was in a weird temple with scale marks on its walls and was surrounded by various glittering stars and galaxies. It was a beautiful serenity.

  Hisssss…

  Viper flipped around and saw a huge snake tail slithering about, but when she traced the snake tail up, she saw a woman’s upper body attached to it with her head full of snakes for hair. Her eyes were covered with a blindfold.

  A gorgon?

  Perhaps…

  “Medusa?” Viper warily asked.

  Medusa chuckled as she sat in her throne, “It’s great that you’re quick.” She noticed Viper’s cautiousness as she complimented, “It’s good that you’re cautious but I won’t harm you. You have inherited my will, after all.”

  “Your will?”