MEMELAND

Far away—

Back inside the Cabinet Building—

Kai was no longer on the battlefield.

No longer hearing the screaming.

No longer feeling the pain in his chest.

Only darkness.

Only silence.

Only a white chair.

Plastic.

Simple.

Out of place.

Kai sat in it with his head slightly lowered.

He looked at his own hands.

Then around the endless white space.

The floor was white.

The walls were white.

The ceiling was white.

No doors.

No windows.

Just an endless blank room.

His body was whole.

No blood.

No wounds.

No pain.

"...Where am I?"

No answer.

A slow clap echoed through the emptiness.

Kai looked up.

Another Kai stood a few steps away.

Arms crossed.

A cruel grin stretched across his face.

Evil Kai.

"...Pathetic."

"You passed out after a few seconds."

"You got all those Circuits."

"All that power."

"And your body folded immediately."

Kai frowned.

"...Who are you?"

The other Kai smirked.

"Oh, come on."

"You already know."

Before Kai could answer—

Another figure stepped forward.

Tattered robes.

A tattoo of Azathoth spread across his neck.

His eyes burned with unwavering devotion.

Cult Kai.

He placed a hand over his chest.

"You lack faith."

"If you simply surrendered yourself..."

"The Circuits would answer."

Evil Kai snorted.

"Faith?"

"...That's your solution?"

"Crawl to some god?"

"Coward."

Cult Kai immediately glared.

"You dare insult Azathoth?"

"I'll insult whoever I want."

"Fuck your god."

"My belief will grant strength."

"No."

"It'll make you a slave."

The two immediately began arguing.

Kai rubbed his temples.

"...Stop."

Neither listened.

A third figure walked into the white room.

Calm.

Balanced.

His posture resembled flowing water.

Mage Kai.

He folded his arms.

"...Neither of you are helping."

Evil Kai scoffed.

"Oh please."

Mage Kai ignored him.

He looked directly at the current Kai.

"Magic should simply exist."

"It doesn't need force."

"It doesn't need rage."

"It doesn't need belief."

"It flows."

"It becomes what the caster becomes."

Cult Kai smiled.

"Faith."

Mage Kai sighed.

"...No."

"Understanding."

Another figure appeared.

His smile was gentle.

His eyes carried quiet determination.

Good Kai.

He looked at the current Kai.

"You didn't have to do it."

Kai blinked.

"...Do what?"

"The surgery."

"You already possessed something countless people wished they had."

"You could feel mana."

"You were improving."

"You could've soared through incredible heights."

Evil Kai laughed.

"...He doesn't remember."

Cult Kai nodded.

"...No."

"He doesn't."

Kai slowly lowered his head.

"...Did I..."

"...Make a mistake?"

Silence.

"...Was I too greedy?"

"...Do magic..."

"...and Magic Circuits..."

"...simply not coexist?"

Evil Kai answered first.

"You're just not angry enough."

Cult Kai replied immediately.

"You simply lack devotion."

"Believe."

"The Circuits will obey."

Mage Kai shook his head.

"Magic shouldn't be forced."

"It should flow."

Good Kai quietly added,

"...Why did you even want them?"

"You already had magic."

"If you didn't you could've gotten the circuits."

Kai couldn't answer.

Then—

Another figure stepped forward.

Missing one arm.

His empty sleeve hung loosely.

His face looked tired.

Like someone who had survived by losing almost everything.

One-Armed Kai.

"...Enough."

The room fell silent.

Even Evil Kai stopped talking.

The One-Armed Kai looked directly at the current Kai.

"You believed..."

"...that implanting Magic Circuits..."

"...would make your magic stronger."

"It didn't."

"It weakened you."

Kai stared.

The One-Armed Kai continued.

"If you had found the laboratory..."

"...and never undergone the surgery..."

"...you could've mastered magic naturally."

"Once the Circuits entered your body..."

"...you lost the ability to feel mana..."

"...the way you once did."

"You cannot simply possess two systems..."

"...and expect them to cooperate."

The silence became heavy.

Kai swallowed.

"...Then what am I supposed to do?"

The One-Armed Kai answered without hesitation.

"You keep trying to become one of us."

He slowly looked toward every other Kai.

"You cannot be Evil Kai."

"You cannot activate the Circuits through hatred."

Evil Kai crossed his arms.

"Hmph."

"You cannot become Cult Kai."

"You cannot rely on blind belief."

Cult Kai closed his eyes.

"You cannot become Mage Kai."

"You no longer experience mana the way he does."

Mage Kai nodded quietly.

"You cannot become Good Kai."

"You haven't walked his path."

Good Kai smiled faintly.

"And..."

The One-Armed Kai looked at his missing arm.

"You cannot become me."

"I lost everything."

"But eventually found peace."

Kai stared.

"...Then..."

"...Who am I?"

The One-Armed Kai smiled.

Small.

Tired.

"Genuine."

"You are Kai."

Silence.

Every version looked toward him.

The One-Armed Kai continued.

"You feel mana."

"You underwent the surgery."

"You broke yourself trying to combine both."

"But..."

"...you also came farther than any of us."

Kai's eyes widened.

The room remained perfectly still.

"That means..."

"...the answer exists."

"It just isn't in any of us."

Kai slowly looked at his own hands.

"...Then what should I do?"

The One-Armed Kai stepped closer.

"You already know."

Kai frowned.

"I don't."

The One-Armed Kai looked him in the eyes.

"You remember."

Kai's breathing slowed.

"...Remember what?"

The One-Armed Kai's voice softened.

"What you are."

The white room trembled.

Thin cracks spread beneath Kai's chair.

Light leaked through them.

His heartbeat returned.

Once.

Twice.

Faster.

The room began collapsing.

The other Kays slowly faded.

Evil Kai.

Cult Kai.

Mage Kai.

Good Kai.

One by one.

Kai instinctively reached out.

"...Wait!"

The One-Armed Kai gave him one final smile.

"You are not us."

"You are Kai."

Everything shattered.

---

Kai's eyes snapped open.