(Y/n) kept close to Add as the nasods escorted them towards an area of mechanized holding cells. The Crow Prototypes pushed them into one of the containment cells and left them in darkness. (Y/n) was at least glad that she hadn't been separated from Add. Dynamo's glitching screen and the soft glow from Add's weapons were the only things providing them with light.

        Add immediately charged at the door and punched it with his reinforced fist and dynamos. It left a barely noticeable dent on the exit. "So annoying!" (Y/n) watched him rest his head against the door. She wished she had her stones with her. One of orange color would have that door blasted down in no time. The members of Black Crow had confiscated them as collateral against Add and herself. She was hoping that they could get back to the airship to retrieve them.

        "Who would have thought that we'd run into a nasod king who wants to start the apocalypse to rebuild a new world," (y/n) joked. They had passed by a factory where battle nasods where being mass manufactured. King Nasod was no doubt preparing for war. "I was trying to make you laugh..."

        "I know. Now just isn't the time." Add sighed. "Give me a moment to think through this." (Y/n) inched towards him with the intention to sit next to the door, but he turned around expecting her to answer a question he hadn't even asked yet. He faltered at the sight of Dynamo and reached for him. (Y/n) had passed him over. "Go into sleep mode, Dynamo. Get some rest."

        "Thank you, Master Add."

        (Y/n) blinked at the little nasod realizing that the glitching screen was a ruse to make their enemies believe that he wasn't functioning properly. The question was, how had Add even known that? Dynamo's screen went blank and plunged them further into darkness. Add then placed Dynamo onto the floor.

        "What's going through your head right now? Hm?" (Y/n) sat next to Dynamo and waited for Add to do the same. "I can help you sort your thoughts. Just vent to me."

        "I feel like I failed. Failed you and myself." She couldn't clearly see his face, but she imagined that he displayed nothing in particular in his features considering how calm he sounded. "No amount of knowledge is enough to explain why these things keeping happening to me. We're stuck here for who knows how long because of that crazy nasod. But he's right. I can say for sure that his process is inexcusable, but I understand how he feels."

        "Based on what you told me about nasods, he's practically lost everything," (y/n) agreed. "I can definitely understand where he's coming from, but none of this is the answer. Brainwashing someone into doing his bidding? Destroying others of his kind just because they don't resent people? That kind of thing just isn't right."

        "He's doing whatever it takes to reach his goal. I'd do the same if I were him. Not in the same way, but if it came down to it, I know I would." Add grabbed hold of his shirt right above where his heart was. "I want to protect you and Dynamo and myself. No oppression, no fear, and no one ruling over us. He and I want the same things."

      "You're nothing like that nasod, Add." She saw where his train of thought was going, and she didn't like it. "You are yourself. Just because you want to protect what's important to you doesn't mean you and King Nasod are the exact same." (Y/n) found his hand and held it. "I would do anything to protect what I care about too. The amount of times I wished I had done more to save my father still bothers me til this day, but he taught me that seeking the path of vengeance and violence is not the answer. Not to this it isn't. You are not wrong to see King Nasod's actions as unlawful even though your ideals are similar."

        Add rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. He finally let free a short laugh, one that (y/n) was glad to hear from him. "You're always calling me a genius, but the real genius between us is you. Did you know that?"

        "No way. If I even tried to do anything with a nasod, I'd probably make it explode. You've already mastered human anatomy and intermediate medicine. It took you less than a month to do that." If that wasn't incredible, then she would have to invent a new word to describe Add's accomplishments so far. "I'm proud of you." Add's dynamos reacted with a brighter light as they gave off a little more energy. It allowed (y/n) to see his eyes widening at her words. "You'll figure out a way to save us. I know you can do it."

        Add found a sudden interest in the emptiness of the cell and kept his eyes on anything but (y/n). "You shouldn't say things like that so carelessly," he warned her again.

        "But it's the truth." (Y/n) was also somewhat curious about what he'd do if she didn't heed his warnings. Whenever he said that, he never put any actions behind the words.

        "Hmph." Add slipped his hand away from hers. "We'll be here a while. I see no harm in doing some brainstorming until those things return with new orders." He displayed holograms of the data he had collected from Altera during the solo trip he had gone on when (y/n) had been unconscious. "This data has nothing to do with the factory, but if we can find some sort of similarity with the nasods here and King Nasod, then we can find a way to defeat him."

        "You want us to fight King Nasod? Have you seen him??"

        Add rolled his eyes. "Why yes, I find it hard to miss a nasod so large that he could literally crush us with his fist." He pulled up a new set of data. "Even if we did simply escape, I don't think the problem will be solved if we don't stop King Nasod. In the first place, I don't actually think he's the real leader of the nasods. It doesn't seem like he can leave that chamber. A real nasod leader would probably be more mobile." He scrolled through the information that happened to be a compiled list of things he figured out about the self-proclaimed ruler. (Y/n) also noticed a detail about him that might be helpful to them.

        "I don't know much about nasods and their structures, but it looked like King Nasod had five cores on him. Four smaller ones and one really large one. Is that normal?"

        Add entered a state of deep thought from the point that she brought up. (Y/n) patiently waited for him to voice his thoughts once they had processed. "I don't actually know," Add said with a bit of surprise at himself. "I never imagined a nasod of that size would even be functional. It has to have some sort of power source, and those cores must be it, but there has to be a reason why King Nasod can't leave that chamber. Well, aside from the fact that he physically can't fit into any of the hallways, there might be another reason why he's stationary."

        "That must be why he has Raven to do his bidding. For someone who has such a strong dislike for humans, it doesn't make sense for him to have Raven around." (Y/n) recalled the way Raven had almost come to his senses. "Oh, I forgot to ask if you were alright. King Nasod did something to Raven that affected you too."

        "The frequency? That shouldn't bother me anymore. I'm okay now that my implant has found a counter signal for it." Add was about to search through more of the data displayed in front of him, but his hand stopped just short of swiping a hologram aside. "Those Crow Prototypes. They were similar to Raven. For them to be called prototypes, that means the finished product isn't completed yet. He's being used. King Nasod called him Experiment 137."

        "So he's going to dispose of Raven when the real product is completed," (y/n) said after putting the pieces together. Add nodded.

        "He's got him under some sort of mind control. If I can produce a frequency strong enough to break it, then I could get Raven to tell us how to defeat King Nasod."

        "But how do you know if he has that information."

        Add shook his head. "I don't really think he knows, but one less pawn in King Nasod's hand is another one in mine. I have to do what I can to increase our odds of success. Once I break the mind control, I have no doubt that Raven will be more than willing to help us."

        King Nasod made a mistake in upsetting one of the world's brightest minds. When the Crow Prototypes came for them, (y/n) and Add would be ready.
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Until next time you miraculous readers!